LA Noire Director Rejoins Rockstar as Studio Acquires GTA Trilogy Developer, Now Named Rockstar Australia, in Anticipation of GTA 6

Rockstar Games is gearing up for the highly anticipated release of GTA 6 by expanding its team. They’ve just acquired Video Games Deluxe, a Sydney-based developer they’ve previously collaborated with on The GTA Trilogy: Definitive Edition. With this acquisition, the studio will now be known as Rockstar Australia.

This move marks a notable reunion, as it brings LA Noire’s former director Brendan McNamara back into the Rockstar family. After leaving the now-defunct LA Noire studio Team Bondi, he went on to establish Video Games Deluxe.

Jennifer Kolbe, the head of publishing at Rockstar Games, shared her excitement about the acquisition in a statement released via BusinessWire. “After working together closely over many years, we’re thrilled to have Video Games Deluxe join our team as Rockstar Australia,” she said.

The collaboration between Video Games Deluxe and Rockstar is not new. They’ve worked together on several notable projects in the past, including LA Noire’s re-release, its VR Case Files, and a recent update for the GTA Trilogy: Definitive Edition. This update came after the original version faced significant criticism for its quality, with Grove Street Games taking the heat for it. The controversy even led to Grove Street Games’ CEO calling out Rockstar for downplaying their involvement, describing the move as rather insensitive.

With Brendan McNamara returning to the fold, it seems Rockstar is strengthening its development capabilities. He founded Team Bondi, which closed its doors in 2011 amidst accusations of poor working conditions, something McNamara addressed at the time. Reflecting on the new chapter, McNamara stated, “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.”

Though there’s no official confirmation yet on whether Rockstar Australia will be directly contributing to the development of GTA 6, it seems like a strategic move that could align with such an involvement, especially with the game slated for a Fall release. However, while the console launch is on the horizon, Rockstar remains tight-lipped about a PC release, despite some barely hushed rumors circulating within the gaming community.