Rockstar Games has made a significant announcement today, but it doesn’t seem to be related to GTA 6. The company revealed that it has acquired the Sydney, Australia-based game developer Video Games Deluxe, a studio known for its work on LA Noire. Moving forward, the studio will be known as Rockstar Australia.
Video Games Deluxe has a long history of collaboration with Rockstar, having co-developed LA Noire and GTA The Trilogy – The Definitive Edition. The founder of Video Games Deluxe, Brendan McNamara, previously established Team Bondi in Australia, which developed LA Noire for Rockstar Games.
McNamara expressed excitement about joining Rockstar Games, stating, “We are thrilled to be a part of Rockstar Games and to continue our efforts to make the best games possible.”
The financial details of the acquisition have not been disclosed. Team Bondi, named after the famous Sydney beach, released LA Noire in 2011 with Rockstar Games as the publisher. Despite the game’s success, there were reported conflicts between Rockstar and Team Bondi, along with allegations of poor working conditions at Team Bondi.
George Miller’s company, Kennedy Miller Mitchell, acquired the rights to Team Bondi’s next game, Whore of the Orient, which was ultimately canceled after Warner Bros. withdrew as the publisher.
Rockstar Australia now joins the global network of development studios under Rockstar Games, including Rockstar Dundee, Rockstar India, Rockstar International, Rockstar LA, Rockstar Leeds, Rockstar Lincoln, Rockstar London, Rockstar New England, Rockstar New York, Rockstar North, Rockstar San Diego, and Rockstar Toronto.
While speculation suggests that Rockstar Australia may be involved in the development of GTA 6, no official confirmation has been made. Rockstar Games is known for its secretive nature, and information about their upcoming projects is typically kept under wraps.
GTA 6 is slated for release this year on PS5 and Xbox Series X|S, with projections of selling 40 million copies and generating over $3 billion in revenue within its first year. Despite the release of the game’s initial trailer in December 2023, Rockstar Games has remained silent about further details regarding GTA 6.
