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 has rebranded it as Rockstar Australia. This move marks a significant step for Rockstar, as Video Games Deluxe has a long-standing history of collaboration with them, contributing to projects like the 2017 re-releases of L.A. Noire and L.A. Noire: The VR Case Files, as well as the mobile and console upgrades for Grand Theft Auto: The Trilogy – The Definitive Edition.

It's important to distinguish Video Games Deluxe from Grove Street Games, which faced backlash for the initial poor quality of Grand Theft Auto: The Trilogy – The Definitive Edition in 2021. Grove Street Games' leader expressed frustration over being removed from the credits following a major update that addressed the game's issues, an update 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.”

Video Games Deluxe was founded by Brendan McNamara, who also founded Team Bondi, the original developer of L.A. Noire. McNamara's previous studio, Team Bondi, faced allegations of poor working conditions during the development of L.A. Noire, leading to its closure. Since then, McNamara has 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 comes at a pivotal time, just ahead of the anticipated release of Grand Theft Auto 6 in the fall of 2025. This acquisition could play a crucial role in the development and support of future Rockstar titles.

In related news, a former Rockstar developer in December 2023 attempted to clarify why GTA 6 would first launch on PS5 and Xbox Series X and S before coming to PC, urging PC gamers to trust the studio's strategy. Additionally, Take-Two's CEO, Strauss Zelnick, addressed concerns about the future of GTA Online once GTA 6 is released.

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