Rockstar Acquires GTA Trilogy Developer, Rebrands as Rockstar Australia

Rockstar has officially acquired the developer behind Grand Theft Auto: The Trilogy – The Definitive Edition, Video Games Deluxe, and has rebranded it as Rockstar Australia. This move marks a significant expansion for Rockstar, integrating a studio that has a long-standing collaboration history with them.

Video Games Deluxe has been instrumental in several of Rockstar's projects, including the 2017 re-releases of L.A. Noire and L.A. Noire: The VR Case Files. Their most recent contributions include enhancements to Grand Theft Auto: The Trilogy – The Definitive Edition for various platforms such as iOS, Android, Netflix, and modern consoles.

It's important to distinguish Video Games Deluxe from Grove Street Games, the developer initially criticized for the subpar launch of Grand Theft Auto: The Trilogy – The Definitive Edition in 2021. Grove Street Games faced backlash, and their leader even labeled their exclusion from the credits of the game's updated version as a "d\*\*k move." It was Video Games Deluxe that developed the much-improved update that addressed these issues.

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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Video Games Deluxe was founded by Brendan McNamara, who previously established Team Bondi, the developers of L.A. Noire. In 2011, Team Bondi came under scrutiny for alleged poor working conditions during the development of L.A. Noire. The studio eventually closed, and McNamara maintained a low profile until now.

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, as it precedes the anticipated release of Grand Theft Auto 6 in the fall of 2025. In December 2023, a former Rockstar developer discussed the decision to release GTA 6 on PC following its launch on PS5 and Xbox Series X and S, urging PC gamers to be patient and supportive of Rockstar's strategy.

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