Rockstar Games is gearing up for the next big thing with GTA 6, having recently acquired the Sydney-based developer Video Games Deluxe. This is the same team they collaborated with on The GTA Trilogy: Definitive Edition. Now part of the Rockstar family, the studio has been rebranded as Rockstar Australia.
This acquisition marks the return of Brendan McNamara, renowned for his work directing LA Noire. McNamara founded Video Games Deluxe after leaving Team Bondi, the original LA Noire studio that eventually closed its doors.
Jennifer Kolbe, the head of publishing at Rockstar Games, shared her excitement in a statement released by BusinessWire, saying, “After working together closely over many years, we are excited to have Video Games Deluxe join the team as Rockstar Australia.”
Video Games Deluxe has already contributed to several projects with Rockstar, including the re-release of LA Noire and its VR Case Files, and more recently, an update to the GTA Trilogy: Definitive Edition. This update aimed to rectify criticism surrounding the trilogy’s initial release, which was riddled with quality issues. The original developers, Grove Street Games, faced significant backlash, with the controversy even prompting their CEO to describe the decision to remove some references to the studio as a “dick move.”
The acquisition also brings Brendan McNamara’s controversial past back into the spotlight. Team Bondi was shut down in 2011 amidst allegations of harsh working conditions and a grueling crunch culture. McNamara addressed these allegations back then.
In a release discussing the acquisition, McNamara expressed his sentiments, saying, “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.”
As for whether Rockstar Australia will play a direct role in the development of GTA 6, it’s something we’ll only confirm once the game hits the shelves. The current plan is for the console version to launch this fall, but the company has been silent on when exactly to expect a PC release. This silence follows some quickly-retracted comments from an executive that had the gaming community buzzing.
In the gaming world, acquisitions like this are strategic moves, and it will be interesting to see how Rockstar’s latest addition will shape their future projects.
