The history of Rockstar Games

DMA Design and the first GTA 1987–1998

1. 1987Founding

   David Jones set up DMA Design in Dundee, Scotland, as a part-time venture while he was still studying computer science. Its first releases were Amiga shooters (Menace in 1988, Blood Money in 1989) published by Psygnosis; programmer Mike Dailly then became the company’s first employee.

   Sources: Game Developer · Scottish Parliament

2. February 1991Release

   DMA Design’s Lemmings launched on the Amiga through Psygnosis and became the studio’s breakthrough hit, helping put Dundee on the map as a games-development town.

   Sources: Game Developer · Scottish Parliament

3. 1997Release

   DMA Design’s top-down crime game Grand Theft Auto came out in 1997. It began as a pitch to BMG Interactive called ’Race’n’Chase’ before being renamed, and BMG published it.

   Sources: Game Developer · Scottish Parliament · Take-Two (SEC filing)

4. 1997Business

   British publisher Gremlin Interactive bought DMA Design in 1997, the same year the first Grand Theft Auto was released.

   Sources: Game Developer

5. March 1998Business

   Take-Two Interactive bought the assets of BMG Interactive, including the worldwide publishing rights and copyright to Grand Theft Auto on PC and PlayStation. Take-Two paid with 1.85 million newly issued preferred shares, valued at about $9.5 million.

   Sources: Take-Two (SEC filing)

6. December 1998Founding

   Rockstar Games, now headquartered in New York, was set up in 1998 as a publishing label inside Take-Two; Take-Two’s December 2023 press release marks the label’s 25th anniversary that December. Sam Houser and Dan Houser are documented as founders, and Engadget also names Jamie King and Gary Foreman as co-founders. In its next annual report Take-Two described Rockstar as its console label aimed at a young audience, with music and media tie-ins.

   Sources: Gematsu · Take-Two · Polygon · Engadget

The PlayStation 2 years 1999–2005

1. April 1999Release

   GTA: London 1969, the first mission pack for Grand Theft Auto, came out on PC in April 1999.

   Sources: Take-Two (SEC filing)

2. September 1999Studio

   After French publisher Infogrames took over Gremlin, Take-Two bought DMA Design Holdings, the parent of DMA Design, for a nominal £1 and took on about $12.3 million of its debt. Founder Dave Jones left DMA in 1999.

   Sources: Take-Two (SEC filing) · Game Developer

3. October 1999Release

   Grand Theft Auto 2 launched on PC in October 1999. Take-Two reported that it shipped more than one million copies in fiscal 1999.

   Sources: Take-Two (SEC filing)

4. October 2000Release

   Rockstar released Smuggler’s Run and Midnight Club: Street Racing, both developed by Angel Studios (later Rockstar San Diego), as PlayStation 2 launch titles in October 2000.

   Sources: Take-Two (SEC filing) · Take-Two (SEC filing)

5. January 2001Studio

   Take-Two completed its purchase of the Austrian developer Neo Software. The studio later operated as Rockstar Vienna and made the Xbox version of Max Payne.

   Sources: Take-Two (SEC filing)

6. 2001Release

   Grand Theft Auto III launched on PlayStation 2. Take-Two, citing NPD data, said it was the best-selling video game across all platforms in North America for 2001. Take-Two also put out the console versions of Max Payne around this time (the PS2 version by Rockstar Toronto, the Xbox version by Rockstar Vienna).

   Sources: Take-Two (SEC filing) · Take-Two (SEC filing)

7. 2002Studio

   DMA Design became Rockstar North. Take-Two’s FY2002 annual report lists Rockstar North Limited as the former DMA Design Limited, with offices in Dundee and Edinburgh. The studio is now based at Barclay House in Edinburgh.

   Sources: Take-Two (SEC filing) · IGN

8. May 2002Business

   Take-Two acquired all intellectual property rights to Max Payne, along with a perpetual licence to the game’s engine technology.

   Sources: Take-Two (SEC filing) · Take-Two (SEC filing)

9. August 2002Studio

   Take-Two bought Barking Dog Studios, a developer in Vancouver, Canada, for $3 million in cash plus about 242,000 shares. The studio became Rockstar Vancouver.

   Sources: Take-Two (SEC filing)

10. October 2002Release

    Grand Theft Auto: Vice City, the follow-up to GTA III, launched on PlayStation 2 in October 2002.

    Sources: Take-Two (SEC filing)

11. November 2002Studio

    Take-Two bought Angel Studios, the developer of Midnight Club and Smuggler’s Run, for $28.5 million in cash plus about 236,000 shares. It became Rockstar San Diego, which is now based in Carlsbad, California.

    Sources: Take-Two (SEC filing) · Rockstar Games (jobs)

12. 2002Studio

    Take-Two’s FY2002 annual report lists Rockstar Toronto, also known as Alternative Reality Technologies, as the internal studio that made the PlayStation 2 version of Max Payne.

    Sources: Take-Two (SEC filing)

13. November 2003Release

    Rockstar North’s stealth-horror game Manhunt launched on PlayStation 2 in November 2003.

    Sources: Take-Two (SEC filing) · Take-Two (SEC filing)

14. 2004Release

    Rockstar San Diego’s Western Red Dead Revolver came out on PS2 in 2004. In August 2003, Take-Two had acquired the intellectual property behind it, subject to a distribution licence in Asia, in exchange for a royalty on future sales.

    Sources: Take-Two (SEC filing) · Take-Two (SEC filing)

15. March 2004Studio

    Take-Two bought Mobius Entertainment, a UK developer of games for handhelds such as Sony’s PSP, for about $4.5 million. It became Rockstar Leeds.

    Sources: Take-Two (SEC filing) · Take-Two (SEC filing)

16. October 2004Release

    Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas launched on PlayStation 2 in October 2004.

    Sources: Take-Two (SEC filing)

17. 20 July 2005Controversy

    “Hot Coffee” controversy: the ESRB revoked San Andreas’s M rating after finding sexually explicit content on the retail discs. The content was locked away in normal play but could be unlocked with a third-party modification. The game was re-rated AO (Adults Only), and Rockstar had to re-sticker or swap retail stock and offer a PC patch.

    Sources: ESRB · US Federal Trade Commission

18. 2005Release

    During Take-Two’s fiscal 2005, Rockstar released The Warriors (developed by Rockstar Toronto, based on the 1979 Paramount film), Midnight Club 3: DUB Edition, and Grand Theft Auto: Liberty City Stories for PSP (developed by Rockstar Leeds).

    Sources: Take-Two (SEC filing) · Take-Two (SEC filing)

Into the HD era 2006–2012

1. 11 May 2006Studio

   Take-Two shut Rockstar Vienna without warning, laying off more than 100 people and citing tough conditions during the console transition.

   Sources: Game Developer

2. 8 June 2006Controversy

   The US Federal Trade Commission settled charges with Take-Two and Rockstar over San Andreas’s undisclosed sexual content. The consent order requires the companies to disclose rating-relevant content and to make sure all game content is reviewed when a game is submitted for rating. Take-Two said product returns cost it $24.5 million.

   Sources: US Federal Trade Commission

3. 2006Release

   Rockstar released Bully on PS2 (developed by Rockstar Vancouver), Rockstar Games Presents Table Tennis on Xbox 360, and GTA: Vice City Stories on PSP. Take-Two’s annual report also disclosed a deal with Australian studio Team Bondi to develop L.A. Noire.

   Sources: Take-Two (SEC filing)

4. 2 January 2007People

   Take-Two named former BMG Interactive and Capcom executive Gary Dale as Rockstar Games’ chief operating officer. Dale had led BMG’s interactive division when it published the original Grand Theft Auto.

   Sources: The Hollywood Reporter

5. June 2007Controversy

   Manhunt 2 controversy: the UK’s BBFC refused to classify the game in June 2007 and rejected a toned-down version in October 2007. After appeals and a High Court review, the BBFC gave it an 18 certificate in March 2008. Take-Two later noted that some US retailers declined to stock the game.

   Sources: The Register · Nintendo World Report · Take-Two (SEC filing)

6. February 2008Business

   Electronic Arts launched a roughly $2 billion hostile bid for Take-Two in February 2008. Take-Two’s board called the offer inadequate, and EA ended its pursuit in September 2008.

   Sources: Game Developer · Take-Two (SEC filing)

7. March 2008Studio

   Take-Two acquired Mad Doc Software of Andover, Massachusetts, which became Rockstar New England.

   Sources: Take-Two (SEC filing) · Rockstar Games (jobs)

8. 29 April 2008Release

   Grand Theft Auto IV launched on PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360.

   Sources: Take-Two (SEC filing)

9. October 2008Release

   Midnight Club: Los Angeles launched on PS3 and Xbox 360.

   Sources: Take-Two (SEC filing)

10. 2009Release

    Rockstar released GTA IV’s two downloadable episodes, The Lost and Damned and The Ballad of Gay Tony (also packaged as Episodes from Liberty City). It also released GTA: Chinatown Wars on Nintendo DS and PSP, followed by an iPhone version in January 2010.

    Sources: Take-Two (SEC filing) · Take-Two (SEC filing)

11. 21 May 2009People

    Rockstar co-founders Jamie King and Gary Foreman, who had left Rockstar, announced their own new company, 4mm Games.

    Sources: Engadget

12. 7 January 2010Controversy

    An anonymous blog post signed by spouses of Rockstar San Diego staff accused the studio of long, mandatory crunch on Red Dead Redemption. Rockstar responded publicly that the complaints came from a few anonymous posters and defended its working environment.

    Sources: Kotaku

13. May 2010Release

    Red Dead Redemption, led by Rockstar San Diego, launched on Xbox 360 and PS3 in May 2010.

    Sources: Take-Two (SEC filing) · Kotaku

14. May 2011Release

    Rockstar published L.A. Noire, developed by Team Bondi, in May 2011. Take-Two noted it was the first video game chosen as an official selection of the Tribeca Film Festival.

    Sources: Take-Two (SEC filing) · Take-Two (SEC filing)

15. May 2012Release

    Max Payne 3, developed in-house by Rockstar, launched in May 2012.

    Sources: Take-Two (SEC filing)

16. 9 July 2012Studio

    Rockstar opened a new, larger Rockstar Toronto studio in Oakville, Ontario, with Ontario government support. It also announced that Rockstar Vancouver would close within six months, and its 35 staff were offered jobs at Toronto or other Rockstar studios.

    Sources: Game Informer

GTA V and Red Dead Redemption 2 2013–2019

1. 17 September 2013Release

   Grand Theft Auto V launched on PS3 and Xbox 360. Its online mode, Grand Theft Auto Online, followed in October 2013.

   Sources: Take-Two (SEC filing) · Gematsu

2. 20 September 2013Business

   Take-Two said GTA V passed $1 billion in worldwide retail sales within its first three days, after about $800 million on launch day. Take-Two describes this as faster than any entertainment release in history.

   Sources: Gematsu · NBC News · Take-Two

3. 12 January 2016People

   Rockstar confirmed that Rockstar North studio head Leslie Benzies, who had gone on sabbatical on September 1, 2014, would not return to the company.

   Sources: Kotaku

4. 12 April 2016Controversy

   Leslie Benzies sued Take-Two and Rockstar in New York for about $150 million in royalties he said he was owed, and the companies countersued. In 2018, a New York court found that the royalty plan did not require equal payouts with the Housers, though Benzies remained entitled to some royalties.

   Sources: Game Informer · Game Informer

5. 23 October 2018Controversy

   Kotaku published an investigation into crunch at Rockstar after Dan Houser mentioned “100-hour weeks” in a magazine interview. Houser told Kotaku he meant only the writing team, over a three-week stretch. Rockstar shared average-hours figures, and staff described overtime that was often expected; QA at Rockstar Lincoln was singled out.

   Sources: Kotaku

6. 26 October 2018Release

   Red Dead Redemption 2 launched on PS4 and Xbox One.

   Sources: Take-Two (SEC filing)

7. 13 May 2019Studio

   Rockstar agreed to buy Bengaluru art studio Dhruva Interactive from Starbreeze for $7.9 million and fold it into Rockstar India, which already had roughly 500 staff in the city.

   Sources: GamesIndustry.biz · VGC

8. 14 May 2019Business

   Take-Two’s FY2019 annual report: Grand Theft Auto V has sold-in more than 105 million units.

   Sources: Take-Two (SEC filing)

9. 17 September 2019Business

   Rockstar launched its own PC storefront and app, the Rockstar Games Launcher.

   Sources: Polygon

The road to GTA VI 2020–2026

1. 4 February 2020People

   Take-Two disclosed in an SEC filing that Dan Houser, Rockstar’s VP of Creative and a co-founder, was leaving after an extended break that began in spring 2019. His last day was March 11, 2020, and Rockstar said Sam Houser’s role was unchanged.

   Sources: Take-Two (SEC filing) · Polygon

2. 22 May 2020Business

   Take-Two’s FY2020 annual report: GTA V has sold-in more than 125 million units, and Red Dead Redemption 2 more than 30 million.

   Sources: Take-Two (SEC filing)

3. 14 October 2020Studio

   Rockstar bought Ruffian Games, a Dundee studio founded in 2008 that had worked on Crackdown and the Halo collection, and renamed it Rockstar Dundee. The team of about 40 included veterans of early GTA and Manhunt games.

   Sources: Take-Two · VGC

4. December 2020Release

   Rockstar released a standalone version of Red Dead Online.

   Sources: Take-Two

5. 19 May 2021Business

   Take-Two’s FY2021 annual report: GTA V has sold-in more than 145 million units.

   Sources: Take-Two (SEC filing)

6. 11 November 2021Release

   Grand Theft Auto: The Trilogy – The Definitive Edition, a remastered bundle of GTA III, Vice City and San Andreas, launched digitally on consoles and PC.

   Sources: Gematsu · Take-Two (SEC filing)

7. 4 February 2022Release

   In a Newswire community update, Rockstar confirmed for the first time that active development of the next Grand Theft Auto was “well underway”.

   Sources: Rockstar Games · Gematsu

8. 15 March 2022Release

   GTA V and GTA Online came to PS5 and Xbox Series X|S with a standalone version of GTA Online, making GTA V a release across three console generations. Rockstar also launched the GTA+ membership in March 2022.

   Sources: Rockstar Games · Take-Two

9. 6 April 2022Business

   Remedy Entertainment and Rockstar announced a deal for Remedy to remake Max Payne and Max Payne 2 as one package, with Rockstar funding the project.

   Sources: GamesBeat · Take-Two

10. 17 May 2022Business

    Take-Two’s FY2022 annual report: GTA V has sold-in more than 160 million units.

    Sources: Take-Two (SEC filing)

11. 18 September 2022Controversy

    A hacker posted about 90 clips of early GTA VI development footage online. On September 19, Take-Two told the SEC that Rockstar had suffered a network intrusion in which confidential data, including the footage, was taken, and that it expected no long-term effect on development.

    Sources: Take-Two (SEC filing) · The Verge

12. 26 May 2023Business

    Take-Two’s FY2023 annual report: GTA V has sold-in more than 180 million units.

    Sources: Take-Two (SEC filing)

13. August 2023People

    Michael Unsworth, a long-time Rockstar writer credited on both Red Dead Redemption games, left the company after 16 years.

    Sources: VGC

14. 11 August 2023Business

    Cfx.re, the team behind the FiveM and RedM roleplay and modding platforms for GTA V and Red Dead Redemption 2, officially became part of Rockstar Games.

    Sources: Rockstar Games

15. 17 August 2023Release

    Red Dead Redemption and Undead Nightmare came to Nintendo Switch and PS4 for the first time.

    Sources: Take-Two

16. 8 November 2023Release

    In a message marking Rockstar’s upcoming 25th anniversary, Sam Houser announced that the first trailer for the next Grand Theft Auto would arrive in early December.

    Sources: Gematsu

17. 4 December 2023Release

    Rockstar officially announced Grand Theft Auto VI, set in the state of Leonida including Vice City, for PS5 and Xbox Series X|S in 2025. Trailer 1 went up on the evening of December 4, earlier than planned, after a leak. Take-Two said it was YouTube’s biggest non-music debut, with more than 93 million views in 24 hours. The same Take-Two release put GTA V at over 190 million units sold.

    Sources: Take-Two · TechRadar · Take-Two

18. 21 December 2023Controversy

    A London court ordered Arion Kurtaj, the Lapsus$ member behind the 2022 Rockstar hack, to be detained indefinitely in a secure hospital. Rockstar told the court the hack cost it about $5 million.

    Sources: Engadget

19. 22 May 2024Business

    Take-Two’s FY2024 annual report: GTA V has sold-in more than 195 million units.

    Sources: Take-Two (SEC filing)

20. 29 October 2024Release

    Red Dead Redemption and Undead Nightmare launched on PC for the first time.

    Sources: Take-Two

21. 3 March 2025Studio

    Rockstar announced it was acquiring Sydney studio Video Games Deluxe, founded by L.A. Noire director Brendan McNamara, and renaming it Rockstar Australia. The studio had worked on the 2017 L.A. Noire re-releases, L.A. Noire: The VR Case Files and later updates to the GTA Trilogy.

    Sources: Take-Two · Rockstar Games (jobs)

22. 4 March 2025Release

    GTA V on PC got a free upgrade with features previously limited to the PS5 and Xbox Series X|S versions.

    Sources: Rockstar Games

23. 2 May 2025Release

    Rockstar delayed GTA VI from fall 2025 to May 26, 2026, apologising and saying it needed more time to reach the quality players expect. Take-Two filed the news with the SEC and said it fully supported the decision.

    Sources: Rockstar Games · Take-Two (SEC filing) · VGC

24. 6 May 2025Release

    Rockstar released GTA VI Trailer 2, with the game then dated for May 26, 2026. Take-Two later said the trailer drew more than 475 million views across platforms in 24 hours, a record at the time.

    Sources: Take-Two · Take-Two

25. 20 May 2025Business

    Take-Two’s FY2025 annual report: GTA V has sold-in more than 210 million units.

    Sources: Take-Two (SEC filing)

26. 30 October 2025Controversy

    Rockstar fired 31 staff in the UK and Canada; first reports put the number at 30 to 40. The IWGB union said all were in a private union Discord and called it union busting. Take-Two said the firings were for gross misconduct and later said the staff had shared confidential information in a public forum.

    Sources: The Verge · IGN · IGN

27. 6 November 2025Release

    Rockstar delayed GTA VI again, to Thursday, November 19, 2026, saying the extra months would allow more polish. Take-Two confirmed the date in its quarterly results. On the same day, fired staff and the IWGB protested outside Take-Two’s London office and Rockstar North in Edinburgh.

    Sources: Rockstar Games · Take-Two · NME · IGN

28. 2 December 2025Release

    Red Dead Redemption launched on PS5, Xbox Series X|S, Nintendo Switch 2 and mobile, where it is also available through Netflix.

    Sources: VGC · Take-Two

29. 10 December 2025Controversy

    UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer called the Rockstar firings “deeply concerning” after the local MP raised them in Parliament, and said ministers would look into the case.

    Sources: IGN

30. 13 January 2026Controversy

    A Glasgow employment tribunal turned down the fired workers’ request for interim relief. The judge said it was not shown to be likely that union membership was the main reason for the dismissals; the full claim was still pending.

    Sources: GamesIndustry.biz

31. 11 April 2026Controversy

    The hacking group ShinyHunters claimed it had breached Rockstar’s cloud data through a third-party service and demanded a ransom. Rockstar confirmed that a limited amount of non-material company information had been accessed and said there was no impact on the company or its players.

    Sources: Kotaku

32. 22 May 2026Business

    Take-Two’s FY2026 annual report: GTA V has sold-in more than 225 million units, the GTA series more than 465 million, and Red Dead Redemption 2 more than 80 million.

    Sources: Take-Two (SEC filing)

33. 28 May 2026People

    Rockstar workers in the UK publicly announced a union, affiliated with the IWGB, covering Edinburgh, London, Leeds, Lincoln and Dundee. Its stated aims include pay transparency, flexible working and ending crunch.

    Sources: Aftermath · Engadget

34. 25 June 2026Release

    GTA VI pre-orders opened at midnight local time. The standard edition costs $79.99 and the Ultimate Edition $99.99; digital pre-loading starts November 12, 2026.

    Sources: Take-Two · Rockstar Games

35. August 2026Business

    Take-Two’s August 2026 investor presentation: GTA V has sold-in over 230 million units, the GTA series nearly 475 million, and Red Dead Redemption 2 over 87 million. It also says Rockstar has 10 internal studios.

    Sources: Take-Two

36. 26 August 2026Controversy

    After a week of leaked GTA VI gameplay clips, Rockstar confirmed in a public statement that the footage was real, called the leaks heartbreaking for the team, and asked fans to wait for the November 19 launch.

    Sources: PC Gamer

37. 27 August 2026Release

    “Grand Theft Auto VI: An Extended Look” premiered on Netflix and later that day on Rockstar’s YouTube channel and the GTA VI website.

    Sources: Rockstar Games · PC Gamer

38. 28 August 2026Studio

    GamesIndustry.biz, citing The New York Times, reported that Rockstar had formed a Los Angeles team of writers, directors and producers to work on GTA VI’s characters and NPCs. Rockstar North was described as co-led by Aaron Garbut and Rob Nelson.

    Sources: GamesIndustry.biz · Rockstar Games (jobs)

39. 17 September 2026Business

    Rockstar announced “Grand Theft Auto VI: The Album”, a 34-track soundtrack made with Atlantic Records, due November 19 alongside the game.

    Sources: Rockstar Games

40. 15 October 2026Release

    Rockstar released the GTA VI Launch Trailer, featuring a new single by Justice, who composed the game’s original score.

    Sources: Rockstar Games

41. 19 November 2026Release

    Grand Theft Auto VI is scheduled to launch on PS5 and Xbox Series X|S. It has not been released yet; this is the planned date as of October 19, 2026.

    Sources: Take-Two · Rockstar Games · Take-Two

Rockstar’s studios today

• Rockstar Games (headquarters)

  New York City (Manhattan), New York, USA

  Label HQ; listed as “Rockstar New York” on Rockstar’s job board.

• Rockstar North

  Edinburgh, Scotland, UK

  Formerly DMA Design (Dundee); Take-Two bought it in 1999 and it was renamed in 2002. Based at Barclay House.

• Rockstar San Diego

  Carlsbad, California, USA

  Formerly Angel Studios, acquired November 2002.

• Rockstar Toronto

  Oakville, Ontario, Canada

  Named in Take-Two’s 2002 report; moved to a new Oakville studio in 2012 and absorbed Rockstar Vancouver staff.

• Rockstar Leeds

  Leeds, England, UK

  Formerly Mobius Entertainment, acquired March 2004.

• Rockstar Lincoln

  Lincoln, England, UK

  QA/testing site (Kotaku 2018). Its origin as Take-Two’s Tarantula studio is widely reported but unverified here.

• Rockstar London

  London, England, UK

  Founding date not verified in a primary source.

• Rockstar New England

  Andover, Massachusetts, USA

  Formerly Mad Doc Software, acquired March 2008.

• Rockstar India

  Bengaluru, Karnataka, India

  About 500 staff by 2019; absorbed Dhruva Interactive (bought 2019 for $7.9M).

• Rockstar Dundee

  Dundee, Scotland, UK

  Formerly Ruffian Games, acquired October 2020.

• Rockstar Australia

  Sydney, New South Wales, Australia

  Formerly Video Games Deluxe, acquisition announced March 2025.

• Rockstar LA

  Los Angeles, California, USA

  Listed on Rockstar’s job board; reported in 2026 as a team working on GTA VI’s characters and NPCs.

• Cfx.re

  FiveM/RedM platform team; joined Rockstar in August 2023.

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