Rockstar Acquires GTA Trilogy Developer, Rebrands as Rockstar Australia

Rockstar Games has officially acquired Video Games Deluxe, the developer behind Grand Theft Auto: The Trilogy – The Definitive Edition, and has rebranded it as Rockstar Australia. This move marks a significant milestone in the longstanding partnership between the two companies, which has seen them collaborate on several projects including the 2017 re-releases of L.A. Noire and L.A. Noire: The VR Case Files, as well as recent upgrades to Grand Theft Auto: The Trilogy – The Definitive Edition for iOS, Android, Netflix, and modern consoles.

It's important to differentiate Video Games Deluxe from Grove Street Games, which faced criticism for the initial poor quality of Grand Theft Auto: The Trilogy – The Definitive Edition in 2021. Grove Street Games' leadership expressed frustration over being removed from the credits following a significant 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."

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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 its eventual 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 comes at a pivotal time, just ahead of the anticipated release of Grand Theft Auto 6 in the fall of 2025. In December 2023, a former Rockstar developer 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.

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