Rockstar Acquires GTA Trilogy Developer, Rebrands as Rockstar Australia

Rockstar Games has recently acquired Video Games Deluxe, the developer behind Grand Theft Auto: The Trilogy – The Definitive Edition, and has renamed it Rockstar Australia. This move marks a significant milestone in their ongoing collaboration, which has included work on the 2017 re-releases of L.A. Noire and L.A. Noire: The VR Case Files, as well as recent enhancements to Grand Theft Auto: The Trilogy – The Definitive Edition for iOS, Android, Netflix, and modern consoles.

It's important to distinguish Video Games Deluxe from Grove Street Games, which faced criticism for the initial poor quality of Grand Theft Auto: The Trilogy – The Definitive Edition released in 2021. Grove Street Games' leader expressed frustration at being omitted from the credits following a much-anticipated update that resolved many issues, an update developed by Video Games Deluxe.

Jennifer Kolbe, Head of Publishing at Rockstar Games, expressed excitement 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 developer of L.A. Noire. McNamara's previous studio, Team Bondi, faced allegations of poor working conditions during the development of L.A. Noire in 2011, which led to the studio's closure. Since then, McNamara has maintained a low profile.

Commenting on the acquisition, McNamara said, "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, occurring just before the anticipated release of Grand Theft Auto 6, scheduled for fall 2025. In December 2023, a former Rockstar developer attempted to clarify why GTA 6 would be released on PC following its launch on PS5 and Xbox Series X and S, urging PC gamers to be patient and trust in Rockstar's plans.

For more insights on GTA 6, including comments from Take-Two's CEO Strauss Zelnick regarding the future of GTA Online post-GTA 6 launch, stay tuned to our updates.