Summary
Rockstar Games, the renowned developer and publisher behindGrand Theft Auto, has bought its longtime partner, Video Games Deluxe. The new development comes following years of collaboration between US-basedRockstar Gamesand the Australian studio on various kinds of projects, ranging from console games to mobile games.
For more than two decades, Rockstar Games has been a brand associated with AAA blockbusters thanks to the immense success of theGrand Theft Autoseries,Bully,Red Dead Redemption 2, and more. The American publisher and its subsidiary studios have time and again delivered monumental hits, especially through thewildly popularGrand Theft Autoseries. Owing to the nature of AAA game development, Rockstar Games commands a fleet of numerous devs across its internal studios, such as Rockstar North, which undertake projects from its distinguished portfolio of hit franchises. Most recently, it added to this collection with the takeover of a former partner studio.
On July 20, 2025, Rockstar Gamesannouncedthe acquisition of Video Games Deluxe, headquartered in Sydney, Australia, in a move that is set to convert the latter into Rockstar Games Australia. The developer previously worked with the open-world game veteran on the re-releases ofLA NoireandLA Noire: The VR Case Filesin 2017, alongside multipleupdates for 2021’sGrand Theft Auto: The Trilogy — The Definitive Edition. Interestingly, Video Games Deluxe is headed byLA NoireDirector & Writer Brendan McNamara, who was also the founder of the now-defunct Team Bondi. Talking about the acquisition, McNamara said that it was an “honor” to collaborate with Rockstar throughout the years and that he was “thrilled” to be a part of the publisher. On the other hand, Rockstar Games Head of Publishing Jennifer Kolbe shared that the company was “excited” to bring Video Games Deluxe on board, among its other subsidiary studios.
Rockstar Games Completes Studio Acquisition in a Crucial Year for the Company
The takeover of Video Games Deluxe is understandably a significant moment for Rockstar Games, whose parent company, Take-Two Interactive, is expected to be involved in more big moments in 2025. On top ofGrand Theft Auto 6, the gaming giant is scheduled to roll out more AAA titles this year, including the prequel gameMafia: The Old Countryand theSeptember-boundBorderlands 4.
Among Take-Two’s most anticipated titles, the biggest one is undoubtedlyGTA 6, the first mainline entry in the third-person action-adventure series since 2013. The hype for the highly awaited sequel is so high thatGTAfans have been anxiously awaiting its second trailerwhile coming up with amusing theories about when they will possibly see the game.
