Dan Houser, co-writer of Grand Theft Auto and Red Dead Redemption, is returning to the industry with an unexpected project. In October, he published a novel about artificial intelligence spiraling out of control.
"A Better Paradise Volume One: An Aftermath" is a 464-page story about a failed video project that launches NigelDave into the world – a self-aware AI with colossal knowledge. In an interview with the BBC, Houser explained that his protagonist is like a child who remembers every thought, because computers never forget.
Houser began writing the book more than a year before the release of ChatGPT, inspired by technological dependence during the pandemic. In his dystopia, the Ark platform allows one to escape from reality, but AI penetrates the world, manipulating minds and blurring the lines between real thoughts and algorithms.
After twenty years at Rockstar, Houser founded Absurd Ventures in 2021. The story initially came out as a podcast, taking first place on Apple in 2024 and receiving a Signal Award. A video game is currently being created with the support of the Korean studio Smilegate.
