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 studio has a robust history of collaboration with Rockstar, contributing to projects like the 2017 re-releases of L.A. Noire and L.A. Noire: The VR Case Files, as well as enhancing Grand Theft Auto: The Trilogy – The Definitive Edition for various platforms, including iOS, Android, Netflix, and modern consoles.
It's crucial to differentiate Video Games Deluxe from Grove Street Games, the latter of which faced significant backlash for the initial poor quality of Grand Theft Auto: The Trilogy – The Definitive Edition in 2021. Grove Street Games' leader publicly expressed frustration over being omitted from the credits of the much-improved update, which was actually 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 established by Brendan McNamara, who previously founded Team Bondi, the developers of L.A. Noire. Team Bondi faced severe allegations of poor working conditions during the development of L.A. Noire, leading to its eventual closure. Since then, McNamara has maintained a low profile. Reflecting on the acquisition, McNamara remarked, “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.”
This move comes just before the anticipated release of Grand Theft Auto 6 in the fall of 2025. In related news, a former Rockstar developer in December 2023 discussed the reasons behind GTA 6's delayed PC release following its launch on PS5 and Xbox Series X and S, urging PC gamers to be patient and trust the studio's decisions.
For more insights, check out Take-Two's CEO Strauss Zelnick's comments on the future of GTA Online in light of GTA 6's upcoming release.
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