Rockstar Acquires GTA Trilogy Developer, Rebrands as Rockstar Australia

Rockstar 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 studio has a longstanding collaboration with Rockstar, contributing to various projects such as the 2017 re-releases of L.A. Noire, L.A. Noire: The VR Case Files, and the recent enhancements to Grand Theft Auto: The Trilogy – The Definitive Edition across iOS, Android, Netflix, and modern consoles.

It's important to differentiate 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 criticized their removal from the game's credits following a much-anticipated update that resolved these 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 has maintained a low profile since the closure of Team Bondi, following allegations of poor working conditions during the development of L.A. Noire in 2011.

In response to the acquisition, McNamara stated, “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.”

For more insights on GTA 6, including Take-Two CEO Strauss Zelnick’s thoughts on the future of GTA Online post-GTA 6 launch, stay tuned.