Rockstar Games has officially acquired Video Games Deluxe, the studio responsible for Grand Theft Auto: The Trilogy – The Definitive Edition updates, and rebranded it as Rockstar Australia. This strategic move underscores Rockstar’s commitment to expanding its development capabilities ahead of the highly anticipated release of GTA 6 in fall 2025.
Video Games Deluxe has maintained a long-standing partnership with Rockstar, contributing to key projects such as the 2017 re-release of L.A. Noire, L.A. Noire: The VR Case Files, and most recently, the updated versions of Grand Theft Auto: The Trilogy – The Definitive Edition across iOS, Android, Netflix, and modern consoles.
It's important to distinguish Video Games Deluxe from Grove Street Games, which was originally involved in the initial launch of the GTA Trilogy. Grove Street Games faced widespread criticism for the poor quality of that version and was later removed from the game's credits following an update that addressed many of the issues—work that was carried out 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, best known as the creator of L.A. Noire and founder of Team Bondi. That earlier studio was marred by allegations of poor working conditions during the development of L.A. Noire, eventually leading to its closure. Since then, McNamara had remained largely out of the public eye.
“It’s been an honor to work closely with Rockstar Games this past decade,” McNamara commented in a statement released alongside the acquisition news. “We are thrilled to be a part of Rockstar Games and to continue our efforts to make the best games possible.”
The formation of Rockstar Australia marks a significant milestone in Rockstar’s evolution as a studio and arrives during one of its most ambitious development cycles yet—preparing for the launch of Grand Theft Auto VI.
This expansion also follows a recent statement from a former Rockstar developer who defended the decision to bring GTA 6 to PC only after a console-exclusive launch window. The developer urged PC players to give the studio the benefit of the doubt regarding its staggered release strategy.
Meanwhile, Take-Two CEO Strauss Zelnick has also addressed concerns about the future of GTA Online once GTA 6 launches, reassuring fans that both titles will coexist and continue to receive support.
Stay tuned for more updates on GTA 6 and other upcoming Rockstar titles as we approach the game’s scheduled fall 2025 release.
