Rockstar Acquires GTA Trilogy Developer, Rebrands as Rockstar Australia

Rockstar Games has officially acquired Video Games Deluxe, the developer behind the recent updates to Grand Theft Auto: The Trilogy – The Definitive Edition, and rebranded it as Rockstar Australia. This studio has a long history of collaboration with Rockstar, notably working on the 2017 re-releases of L.A. Noire and L.A. Noire: The VR Case Files, as well as the latest enhancements to Grand Theft Auto: The Trilogy – The Definitive Edition for various platforms including iOS, Android, Netflix, and modern consoles.

It's important to differentiate Video Games Deluxe from Grove Street Games, which faced significant backlash for the substandard quality of the initial release of Grand Theft Auto: The Trilogy – The Definitive Edition in 2021. The CEO of Grove Street Games criticized their exclusion from the credits following a major update that addressed the game's issues, which was actually developed by Video Games Deluxe.

Jennifer Kolbe, Head of Publishing at Rockstar Games, expressed enthusiasm about the acquisition, stating, "After working together closely over many years, we are excited to have Video Games Deluxe join the team as Rockstar Australia."

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16 ImagesVideo Games Deluxe was founded by Brendan McNamara, who also founded Team Bondi, the original developer of L.A. Noire. McNamara faced public scrutiny in 2011 due to allegations of poor working conditions at Team Bondi during the development of L.A. Noire. Following the studio's closure, McNamara maintained a low profile until now. He commented on the acquisition, saying, "It’s been an honor to work closely with Rockstar Games this past decade. We are thrilled to be a part of Rockstar Games and to continue our efforts to make the best games possible."

The establishment of Rockstar Australia is timely, as it comes just ahead of the anticipated release of Grand Theft Auto 6 in the fall of 2025. In related news, a former Rockstar developer addressed the decision to release GTA 6 on consoles before PC, urging PC gamers to trust the studio's strategy. Additionally, there's ongoing discussion about the future of GTA Online post-GTA 6 launch, with insights from Take-Two's Strauss Zelnick.

This acquisition not only solidifies Rockstar's commitment to quality game development but also sets the stage for their future projects, including the much-anticipated Grand Theft Auto 6.