Rockstar Games is making moves in preparation for GTA 6, recently acquiring the Sydney-based Video Games Deluxe, a developer they previously collaborated with on The GTA Trilogy: Definitive Edition. This acquisition has led to the newly dubbed Rockstar Australia.
This transition marks the return of Brendan McNamara, who directed L.A. Noire. After leaving the now-closed down Team Bondi, McNamara established Video Games Deluxe. His relationship with Rockstar continues to strengthen with this new development.
“We’re thrilled to welcome Video Games Deluxe to the Rockstar family as Rockstar Australia,” Jennifer Kolbe, Rockstar Games’ head of publishing, stated in an announcement featured on BusinessWire. This partnership isn’t new, as Video Games Deluxe has previously worked on projects like L.A. Noire’s VR Case Files and an update for GTA Trilogy: Definitive Edition. This update aimed to address criticisms of the original release’s quality, which had previously been handled by Grove Street Games. The latter faced backlash, with its CEO even commenting on what he believed were unfair removals of credits in the final update.
The addition of Video Games Deluxe also reintroduces McNamara to Rockstar, providing a fresh chapter after Team Bondi’s closure in 2011 amid reports of unfavorable work conditions. Reflecting on his journey, McNamara shared, “Joining Rockstar Games has been an incredible journey these past years. We are excited and honored to officially become Rockstar Australia and are eager to keep pushing boundaries to create top-tier games.”
Many are curious if Rockstar Australia will contribute directly to developing GTA 6. While nothing is confirmed, it seems plausible as the game’s console release is approaching its anticipated fall window. However, PC gamers are still in the dark about their version’s debut, keeping the community buzzing after some speculative comments from a Rockstar executive caused quite the stir before being retracted.
