Rockstar Games has officially announced the acquisition of Video Games Deluxe, the studio responsible for developing the mobile port of Grand Theft Auto: The Trilogy – The Definitive Edition.  This studio was founded by Brendan McNamara, a former Rockstar employee who contributed to the development of titles such as L.A. Noire.  Following the acquisition, the studio has been rebranded as Rockstar Australia.

Video Games Deluxe has collaborated with Rockstar on several projects, including the 2017 re-releases of L.A. Noire and L.A. Noire: The VR Case Files.  More recently, they were instrumental in bringing the updated Grand Theft Auto: The Trilogy – The Definitive Edition to iOS, Android, Netflix, and modern consoles.

It's important to distinguish Video Games Deluxe from Grove Street Games.  Grove Street Games faced significant criticism for the subpar launch of the Grand Theft Auto: The Trilogy – The Definitive Edition in 2021.  The head of Grove Street Games even deemed it 'silly' to be removed from the game's credits after updates addressed many of the initial issues. However, it was Video Games Deluxe, not Grove Street Games, that developed those crucial updates.

Take-Two Interactive, Rockstar's parent company, expressed their enthusiasm in an official statement: 'After many years of working closely with Video Games Deluxe, we are thrilled to welcome them officially into our Australian family.'

Brendan McNamara also shared his excitement about joining Rockstar Games, stating, 'We are delighted to be a part of Rockstar Games and are committed to continuing to create exceptional gaming experiences.'