Rockstar Games has officially acquired Video Games Deluxe, the studio behind the development of Grand Theft Auto: The Trilogy – The Definitive Edition, and has rebranded it as Rockstar Australia. This move solidifies a long-standing collaboration that began with projects like the 2017 re-releases of L.A. Noire and L.A. Noire: The VR Case Files, and continued with the recent enhancements 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 significant criticism for the initial, subpar release of Grand Theft Auto: The Trilogy – The Definitive Edition in 2021. Grove Street Games' leader expressed frustration over being omitted from the credits following a much-needed update that resolved many of the game's issues, an update that was actually developed by Video Games Deluxe.
Jennifer Kolbe, Rockstar Games' Head of Publishing, 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, previously the founder of Team Bondi, the studio behind L.A. Noire. Team Bondi faced severe allegations of poor working conditions during L.A. Noire's development, which led to its eventual closure. McNamara has since maintained a low profile until now. He commented on the acquisition, saying, "It’s been an honor to work closely with Rockstar Games this past decade," and expressed excitement about continuing to create top-quality games as part of Rockstar.
In December 2023, a former Rockstar developer shed light on the decision to release GTA 6 on PC following its launch on PS5 and Xbox Series X and S, urging PC gamers to trust Rockstar's strategy despite the controversy.
For more insights into GTA 6, including Take-Two's CEO Strauss Zelnick's thoughts on the future of GTA Online post-GTA 6, stay tuned.
