Rockstar Games has recently expanded its creative roster with the acquisition of Sydney-based developer Video Games Deluxe, now rebranded as Rockstar Australia. This strategic move comes just ahead of the highly anticipated release of GTA 6. Video Games Deluxe, a name you might recognize, collaborated with Rockstar on The GTA Trilogy: Definitive Edition.
This acquisition marks the return of Brendan McNamara, the former director of LA Noire, to the Rockstar family. McNamara originally started Video Games Deluxe after his previous endeavor, Team Bondi, shuttered. Team Bondi, widely known for developing LA Noire, dissolved amid controversies surrounding its workplace culture.
Jennifer Kolbe, who oversees publishing at Rockstar Games, expressed her enthusiasm in a BusinessWire statement, “After working together closely over many years, we are excited to have Video Games Deluxe join the team as Rockstar Australia.”
The collaboration between Video Games Deluxe and Rockstar has already yielded several projects, including the re-release of LA Noire, its VR Case Files, and most recently, enhancements to the GTA Trilogy: Definitive Edition. The original version of this trilogy faced a fair share of backlash due to quality issues—a storm that mainly gathered over Grove Street Games, prompting its CEO to label some corrective actions regarding the game’s credits as rather unappealing.
By bringing Video Games Deluxe on board, Rockstar not only acquires McNamara’s expertise but also reaffirms its commitment to crafting high-quality games. Reflecting on this new chapter, McNamara said, “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.”
While it’s uncertain if Rockstar Australia will directly contribute to the development of GTA 6, this move aligns well with the momentum building as the game approaches its expected fall release for consoles. Details about the PC version remain under wraps, even after some speculative comments from a company executive were quickly retracted.
As gamers worldwide eagerly await what Rockstar has in store, this new addition to their team might just be the ingredient that adds an extra touch of magic to their upcoming releases.
