Rockstar Acquires GTA Trilogy Developer, Rebrands as Rockstar Australia

Rockstar Games has officially acquired Video Games Deluxe, the developer behind the recent upgrades to Grand Theft Auto: The Trilogy – The Definitive Edition, and has renamed the studio Rockstar Australia. This move signifies a deepening partnership that began with their collaborations on various titles, including the 2017 re-releases of L.A. Noire and L.A. Noire: The VR Case Files, as well as the mobile and modern console updates for Grand Theft Auto: The Trilogy – The Definitive Edition.

It's important to distinguish Video Games Deluxe from Grove Street Games, the developer initially responsible for the criticized 2021 release of Grand Theft Auto: The Trilogy – The Definitive Edition. Grove Street Games faced backlash for the game's quality and was notably removed from the credits after Video Games Deluxe developed a subsequent update that addressed the 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."

Video Games Deluxe was founded by Brendan McNamara, who previously founded Team Bondi, the developer of L.A. Noire. McNamara's career took a quieter turn following allegations of poor working conditions at Team Bondi, which led to the studio's closure. Regarding the acquisition, McNamara commented, "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 fall 2025. This acquisition could play a significant role in the development and support of future titles, including GTA 6, which is set to launch first on PS5 and Xbox Series X and S before coming to PC. A former Rockstar developer in December 2023 urged PC gamers to be patient with the studio's staggered release strategy.

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

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