Rockstar Buys Grand Theft Auto: The Trilogy – The Definitive Edition Developer, Renames It 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 move marks a significant step in Rockstar's ongoing relationship with Video Games Deluxe, which has collaborated with Rockstar on several projects over the years. These include the 2017 re-releases of L.A. Noire and L.A. Noire: The VR Case Files, as well as recent enhancements to Grand Theft Auto: The Trilogy – The Definitive Edition for iOS, Android, Netflix, and modern consoles.

It's important to distinguish Video Games Deluxe from Grove Street Games, which faced significant backlash for the subpar quality of the initial release of Grand Theft Auto: The Trilogy – The Definitive Edition back in 2021. The CEO of Grove Street Games criticized their removal from the game’s credits following a major update that addressed many of the issues, 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.”

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Video Games Deluxe was founded by Brendan McNamara, who also founded Team Bondi, the original developer of L.A. Noire. In 2011, Team Bondi was embroiled in controversy over alleged poor working conditions during the development of L.A. Noire. The studio eventually closed, and McNamara maintained a low profile until now. In response to the acquisition, McNamara shared, “It’s been an honor to work closely with Rockstar Games this past decade,” and expressed excitement about continuing to develop top-quality games under the Rockstar banner.

The formation of Rockstar Australia is strategically timed ahead of the anticipated launch of Grand Theft Auto 6, slated for fall 2025. In late 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 in Rockstar's decision-making process.

For more insights on GTA 6, including comments from Take-Two boss Strauss Zelnick about the future of GTA Online post-GTA 6 release, stay tuned to our coverage.