Smilegate announced on the 7th that it has signed a global publishing contract for a new Triple-A (blockbuster) game with the American game developer Upsurge Ventures.
Upsurge Ventures is a studio founded by Dan Houser, who served as the creative director for the crime action game 'Grand Theft Auto (GTA)' franchise at the renowned North American game company Rockstar Games. Upsurge Ventures is preparing a science fiction (SF) open-world action-adventure game based on the PARADISE universe.
ABP is a vast universe created by Upsurge Ventures. The ABP audio drama series ranked first in the fiction category on Apple Podcasts and is set to be published as a novel in October. The ABP game is currently in the early development stage, with Dan Houser directly writing and leading the creative direction.
Last year, Smilegate made a strategic equity investment in Upsurge Ventures and plans to provide comprehensive support, including development costs, to ensure the success of the upcoming ABP game worldwide.
Dan Houser, the founder of Upsurge Ventures, said, "The game being showcased this time offers an opportunity to step into an entirely different world and provide users with a new adventure they have never experienced before."
Kwon Hyuk-bin, Chief Vision Officer (CVO) of Smilegate, said, "I consider it very meaningful to share visions with my friend Dan Houser, with whom I have shared a deep friendship through the common theme of games and the future through our collaboration on this ABP project," adding, "We will present a work that can touch game fans around the world."
Smilegate expressed its ambition to leap beyond the Asian market and become a representative player in the global gaming market through this joint project. Details such as the future development schedule and platforms for the joint project will be announced later.