Summary
- Rockstar has acquired Video Games Deluxe, a trusted partner, and rebranded the studio as Rockstar Australia.
- This is the studio that fixed the company’s dismal GTA Definitive Editiion releases.
- In addition to remaking Rockstar’s older, neglected franchises for modern hardware, the studio could even create sequels to beloved titles like Bully while Rockstar’s main studios work on flagships like GTA and Red Dead Redemption.
Rockstar Games’ purchase of Video Games Deluxe, a game development studio in Sydney, is an important step for the company. Rockstar isn’t just buying a random developer, the company is buying a very trusted partner.
Although many know Video Games Deluxe, now known as Rockstar Australia, as the developer that fixed the GTA Definitive Edition, there’s more than first meets the eye. This developer proved itself by porting and working on many of Rockstar’s existing IPs, meaning Rockstar trusted the developer enough to buy them out. That may mean there will be two teams working on new games instead of just the main team.
Rockstar Bought Video Games Deluxe
Video Games Deluxe has a long history working with Rockstar, starting with its founder Brendan McNamara, who previously led Team Bondi in creating the popular game L.A. Noire. The two companies have maintained a strong partnership, with Video Games Deluxe handling the re-releases of L.A. Noire in 2017 and updating Grand Theft Auto: The Trilogy – The Definitive Edition for mobile and modern gaming consoles.
This acquisition brings several benefits to Rockstar, including gaining more skilled developers and potentially lower development costs. The first idea we’d get with the acquisition is that Rockstar finally has a great company for remakes. With Video Games Deluxe’s expertise, Rockstar can refresh old games and re-release them on various platforms without engaging external studios.
Still, there’s more to any one developer than taking games and making them new. While the studio could focus on updating graphics, gameplay, or launching special editions of past hits, this may be a golden opportunity for more. Rockstar acquired a studio that understands the way the company works, and that’s a rare purchase to make.
Rockstar Should Make Bully 2
Bully, which came out in 2006, is still popular nearly two decades later, with many fans eager for a sequel. This demand goes beyond nostalgia; it’s about what makes Bully different from Rockstar’s other games. While games like Grand Theft Auto are often violent and cynical, Bully offers a darkly funny but touching look at high school life. Its gameplay includes schoolyard pranks, hand-to-hand combat, and meaningful character interactions, all set in the detailed fictional Bullworth Academy.
The game blends humor with heartfelt moments, giving it a unique charm that has kept players interested over the years. A Bully 2 would likely do well commercially. The loyal fanbase, which has remained active through online discussions and petitions, represents a ready market. Moreover, the game’s unique high school setting can attract a new generation of players.
Rockstar has Grand Theft Auto and Red Dead Redemption to worry about, which means less time to focus on other smaller, albeit popular, titles. The company also takes a while to make any sequels. With Rockstar Australia now open to tackling anything Rockstar North doesn’t have time to handle, Bully 2 could be the perfect first game for the studio to take on.
Rockstar Australia Should Remake The Warriors
The 2005 video game version of The Warriors, made by Rockstar Toronto, is a standout example of turning a movie into a game—something that doesn’t always work well. Released for PlayStation 2 and Xbox, it successfully captured the gritty vibe and style of the original film by Walter Hill. One of the game’s biggest strengths was how well it recreated the feel of the movie, starting with an impressive intro that closely mirrored the film’s opening scene. Many of the original actors returned to voice their characters, adding authenticity to the game.
Sure, The Warriors had its issues. The controls, especially for movement, tended to be unresponsive and imprecise, a common problem for many games back then. While the open world had a great atmosphere, it didn’t offer the variety seen in other popular Rockstar Games like Grand Theft Auto. Level designs could also feel somewhat cramped and linear compared to the freedom that many other open-world games provide. Despite these flaws, the game received good reviews for its stylish graphics, faithful representation of the movie, and the way it added to the film’s universe.
We have plenty of remasters of The Warriors that just don’t scratch the same itch a remake can. Remakes are just fundamentally different from remasters, and there’s plenty of fans who would buy another The Warriors game with today’s hardware. A remake could include new elements that expand the film’s story without conflicting with it, just like flashback missions that worked as tutorials and added backstory to the plot.
A modern remake of The Warriors would benefit greatly from today’s technology. Improved graphics could bring the film’s dark but colorful style to life even more vividly. The combat system could be updated to fix control issues while keeping its unique rough-and-tumble feel. The open world could be made larger and more interactive, allowing for better exploration. We’re not saying make an entire city, but a bigger Coney Island would be nice.
This would be closer to what Rockstar Australia would be used to, but a step further without going into a full new game like Bully 2 would be. The Warriors game of 2005 has a great blueprint for the developer to look over, and the developer could use the funding and the access to tools that Rockstar gives. This is going to be the most likely next step, as another Grand Theft Auto would take a lot more time to remake or remaster, and Take Two will likely want a faster return on its purchase cost.
The Possibilities for New Games Are Endless
There’s no doubt that Rockstar Australia is great at remastering and improving existing games. This leaves the door open to so many more games coming to players. Currently, a lot of games from Rockstar’s catalog have been remastered, but there’s plenty more to go. Remakes are good for the industry, so we’re not against seeing more take priority.
The most obvious choice is Grand Theft Auto IV. This is not a far-fetched next step for Rockstar Australia, since the team recently finished fixing the GTA Definitive Trilogy. However, it is a big project and would likely take a lot of time to do. That’s why The Warriors might make for a more sensible first step, since that would likely be more manageable than a beloved game like GTA IV. However, there’s more to pick from.
The Manhunt series was incredibly controversial because of the plot and how players can brutally kill others. However, in today’s age, we’ve likely seen worse violence in Mortal Kombat 1. A Manhunt remake would actually have to try hard to meet any kind of controversy in today’s age. It also seems unlikely that this would be the first game to send the new team to.
Another likely, but not as likely as GTA IV, direction for Rockstar Australia would be to remake the first two Grand Theft Auto games, but that’d be a lot of work. Also, there are not as many fans calling for this kind of remake. Instead, we’d bet that the most likely next steps for Rockstar Australia would be to take on The Warriors, Bully 2, or Grand Theft Auto IV.
Whatever happens, it’s likely good news for fans of Rockstar games since the company has now brought a proven partner into the fold and branded it as such. Whatever we see first, it will almost certainly be better than those early GTA Definitive Editiion releases.
