Absurd Marin Emerges as New Studio Born from the Ashes of Immortals of Aveum’s Struggles

A challenging year for Ascendant Studios, the developer behind Immortals of Aveum, has culminated in a major shift. Around 20 employees, referred to as the “core team,” have left the studio to join Rockstar co-founder Dan Houser’s Absurd Ventures. This new entity, called Absurd Marin, aims to create a story-driven action-adventure title set in an unannounced Absurd universe.

A Troubled Past

Immortals of Aveum, a single-player first-person magic shooter, launched in August to mixed reviews, failing to make a significant commercial impact. As a result, Ascendant Studios was forced to lay off 45 percent of its staff, amounting to approximately 40 employees, just a month later. This devastating blow was followed by reports of a “large portion” of the remaining team being furloughed, casting doubt on the studio’s future.

A New Beginning

Under Houser’s guidance, Absurd Marin will be based in San Rafael, California, and led by Bret Robbins, the founder and game director of Ascendant Studios. The team plans to expand as development progresses on their new project. Meanwhile, Absurd Ventures has been working on various transmedia projects, including a graphic novel and podcast, as well as an open-world action-adventure game.

• The first video game project announced by Absurd Ventures is an open-world action-adventure aiming to deliver best-in-class combat and third-person action across multiple game modes.
• No further information has been revealed about the project, leaving it unclear if it’s the same game now in Absurd Marin’s hands.

The Future of Ascendant Studios

Despite the uncertain status of Ascendant Studios, no official notice of its closure has been shared. However, having lost its founder and 20 employees, it seems doubtful the studio will have much of a future.