Rockstar Games recently made an intriguing move as it gears up for the release of GTA 6, acquiring the Sydney-based developer, Video Games Deluxe. This team was already familiar to Rockstar, having collaborated with them on The GTA Trilogy: Definitive Edition, and it’s now rebranded as Rockstar Australia.
With this acquisition, Brendan McNamara, known for directing LA Noire, once again joins Rockstar. After parting ways with the now-closed Team Bondi, he established Video Games Deluxe. Team Bondi, as some may recall, faced a barrage of accusations related to harsh working environments and an intense crunch culture, issues McNamara addressed back then.
In an official statement shared via BusinessWire, Jennifer Kolbe, the head of publishing at Rockstar Games, expressed, “We’ve enjoyed a close working relationship over the years and are thrilled to welcome Video Games Deluxe aboard as Rockstar Australia.”
Video Games Deluxe has a history of collaborations with Rockstar on projects like the re-release of LA Noire and its VR Case Files edition. Recently, they aided in updating the GTA Trilogy: Definitive Edition. This update followed scrutiny over the original release’s quality, handled by a different studio, Grove Street Games. The latter faced significant backlash, leading to a controversial suggestion by their CEO to remove certain acknowledgments from the game, which he referred to as a “dick move.”
With McNamara on board, this new chapter as Rockstar Australia looks promising. Reflecting on this transition, he shared, “Collaborating with Rockstar Games over the past decade has been an incredible experience. We are excited to officially join their ranks and continue striving to develop outstanding games.”
While it’s still not entirely clear if Rockstar Australia will be contributing to GTA 6’s development, it seems plausible given the game’s looming release in the fall. However, the timeline for a PC release remains unconfirmed, despite some cryptic and quickly retracted comments from a company executive, which stirred quite a buzz among dedicated fans.
