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'{{Use mdy dates|date=October 2016}} {{Infobox company | name = Rockstar Games, Inc. | logo = Rockstar Games Logo.svg | type = [[Subsidiary]] | industry = [[Video game industry]] | fate = | predecessor = BMG Interactive Entertainment | successor = <!-- or: | successors = --> | founded = {{Start date and age|1998|12}} | founders = {{Unbulleted list|[[Sam Houser]]|[[Dan Houser]]|Terry Donovan|Jamie King}} | defunct = <!-- {{End date|YYYY|MM|DD}} --> | hq_location_city = [[New York City]], [[New York (state)|New York]] | hq_location_country = [[United States|U.S.]] | key_people = Sam Houser {{small|([[executive producer]])}} | num_employees = | num_employees_year = <!-- Year of num_employees data (if known) --> | parent = [[Take-Two Interactive]] | subsid = [[#Current subsidiaries|List of Rockstar Games subsidiaries]] | website = {{URL|rockstargames.com}} }} '''Rockstar Games, Inc.''' (sometimes referred to as '''Rockstar NYC''') is an American [[video game publisher]], best known for their ''[[Grand Theft Auto]]'', ''[[Red Dead]]'', ''[[Midnight Club]]'', ''[[Max Payne]]'', ''[[The Warriors (video game)|The Warriors]]'', ''[[Bully (video game)|Bully]]'', and ''[[Manhunt (series)|Manhunt]]'' games. Based in New York City, it was set up by [[Take-Two Interactive]] in December 1998, as successor to British video game publisher BMG Interactive Entertainment, a division of BMG Entertainment, from [[Bertelsmann]], which was previously acquired.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://designmuseum.org/design/rockstar-games|title=Rockstar Games Multimedia Designers|accessdate=March 24, 2013}}</ref> While some of the studios Take-Two Interactive has acquired have been merged into the Rockstar brand, several other recent ones have retained their previous identities and have become part of Take-Two's [[2K Games]] label. == History == The Rockstar Games label was founded in December 1998<ref>{{cite web|url=http://design.designmuseum.org/design/rockstar-games |title=Rockstar Games / - Design/Designer Information |work=[[Design Museum]] |date=September 20, 2014 |accessdate=March 17, 2016 |deadurl=yes |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20140920154753/http://design.designmuseum.org/design/rockstar-games |archivedate=September 20, 2014 }}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.develop-online.net/analysis/sam-houser-his-story/0116226|title=Develop|work=[[Develop (magazine)]]|date=August 15, 2008|accessdate=March 17, 2016}}</ref><ref name=Founded>{{cite web|url=http://www.rockstargames.com/#/?lb=/corpinfo|title=Rockstar Games Corporate Info|accessdate=March 24, 2013}}</ref> by the British [[video game producer]]s Terry Donovan, [[Sam Houser]], [[Dan Houser]], Jamie King and Gary Foreman.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.gamespot.com/articles/gta-rockstar-co-founding-brothers-squeeze-into-britain-s-1-000-richest-people-list-with-ps90-million/1100-6419714/|title=GTA, Rockstar co-founding brothers squeeze into Britain's 1,000 richest people list with £90 million|work=GameSpot}}</ref><ref>{{citation|author=Laura Avery|year=2005|title=Newsmakers: the people behind today's headlines: 2004 cumulation|page=212|publisher=Gale Research|publication-date=2005|mode=cs1}}</ref> Donovan left the company in January 2007, following a four-month leave of absence.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.gamespot.com/articles/terry-donovan-leaves-rockstar/1100-6164173/ |title=Terry Donovan leaves Rockstar |last=Sinclair |first=Brendan |work=[[GameSpot]] |publisher=[[CBS Interactive]] |date=January 12, 2007 |accessdate=February 14, 2016 }}</ref> He was replaced by former [[Capcom]] managing director, Gary Dale.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.gamespot.com/articles/capcom-exec-leaves-to-join-rockstar/1100-6163690/|title=Capcom exec leaves to join Rockstar|work=GameSpot}}</ref> The main headquarters of Rockstar Games are located on Broadway in the [[NoHo, Manhattan|NoHo]] neighborhood of New York City, part of the Take-Two Interactive offices. It is home to the marketing, public relations and product development departments.<ref>{{cite news| url = http://www.rockstaruniverse.net/rockstar-studios/ |title=Rockstar Studios Information |publisher=Rockstar Universe |accessdate =December 11, 2014}}</ref> As of February 2014, Rockstar Games titles have shipped more than 250 million copies, the largest franchise being the ''[[Grand Theft Auto]]'' series which alone has shipments of at least 220 million as of September 2015.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.gamespot.com/articles/rockstar-titles-have-now-shipped-250-million-copies-to-date/1100-6417508/|title=Rockstar titles have now shipped 250 million copies to date|publisher=[[GameSpot]]|date=February 4, 2014|accessdate=February 7, 2014}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.gamespot.com/articles/grand-theft-auto-series-passes-220-million-sales-w/1100-6429961/|title=Grand Theft Auto Series Passes 220 Million Sales Worldwide|publisher=[[GameSpot]]|date=August 21, 2015|accessdate=April 25, 2016}}</ref> In March 2014, Rockstar Games received the [[BAFTA Academy Fellowship Award]] at the [[British Academy Video Games Awards]]. == Company philosophy == Despite their status as creators of ''Grand Theft Auto'' and one of the most successful video game franchises of all-time, Sam Houser and his brother [[Dan Houser|Dan]] have shied away from the spotlight. They have focused on the Rockstar Games brand, rather than any one person getting the credit for the games' success.<ref>{{cite web | url =http://thegamershub.net/2012/05/gaming-gods-dan-and-sam-houser/ | title = Gaming Gods: Dan and Sam Houser | author = Ryan P. | publisher = The Gamer's Hub | date= May 18, 2012 | accessdate = March 19, 2013 }}</ref> In October 2011, Rockstar creative vice-president [[Dan Houser]] told ''[[Famitsu]]'' that Rockstar was intentionally avoiding developing in the [[first-person shooter]] genre. "We're deliberately avoiding that right now", he said, according to a [[1UP.com]] translation. "It's in our DNA to avoid doing what other companies are doing. I suppose you could say that ''[[Max Payne 3]]'' is something close to an FPS, but there are really unique aspects to the setting and gameplay there, too, not just in the story. You have to have originality in your games; you have to have some kind of interesting message. You could say that the goalpoint of Rockstar is to have the players really feel what we're trying to do". Houser went on to say that Rockstar has "made new genres by ourselves with games like the ''GTA'' series. We didn't rely on testimonials in a business textbook to do what we've done. I think we succeeded precisely because we didn't concentrate on profit... If we make the sort of games we want to play, then we believe people are going to buy them."<ref>{{cite web|last=Ivan|first=Tom|title=Rockstar 'deliberately avoiding' FPS genre|url=http://www.computerandvideogames.com/324054/rockstar-deliberately-avoiding-fps-genre/|publisher=ComputerAndVideoGames}}</ref> Rockstar has since released an enhanced remake of ''[[Grand Theft Auto V]]'' for Microsoft Windows, PlayStation 4 and Xbox One, which can be fully played from the first-person perspective.<ref name="First Person Perspective">{{cite web |url=http://www.ign.com/articles/2014/11/04/grand-theft-auto-v-a-new-perspective |title=Grand Theft Auto 5: A New Perspective |last=Krupa |first=Daniel |work=[[IGN]] |publisher=[[Ziff Davis]] |date=November 4, 2014 |accessdate=November 4, 2014 |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20141104204745/http://www.ign.com/articles/2014/11/04/grand-theft-auto-v-a-new-perspective |archivedate=November 4, 2014 |deadurl=no }}</ref> This was made possible in part with higher quality [[firearm]] visuals, hindered audio-visual stimuli due to [[headgear]], and additional animations - helping the game achieve aesthetic parity with other first-person shooters.<ref name="First Person Perspective"/> == Games published == {| class="wikitable" ! style="width:25%" | Title ! style="width:7%" | Release year(s) ! style="width:37%" | Developer(s) |- | [[Grand Theft Auto|''Grand Theft Auto'' series]] | 1997–2013 | {{Unbulleted list|Rockstar North{{efn|''Grand Theft Auto'', ''Grand Theft Auto 2'' and ''Grand Theft Auto III'' developed as [[DMA Design]].}}|[[Digital Eclipse]] {{small|(''Advance'')}}|Rockstar Leeds {{small|(''Stories'' and ''Chinatown Wars'')}}}} |- | ''[[Monster Truck Madness 64]]'' | 1999 | [[Edge of Reality]] |- | ''[[Thrasher Presents Skate and Destroy]]'' | 1999 | [[Z-Axis Games]] |- | ''[[Earthworm Jim 3D]]'' {{small|(N64 US release)}} | 1999 | [[VIS Entertainment]] |- | ''[[Wild Metal Country]]'' {{small|(N64 and digital Windows release)}} | 2000/2003 | [[DMA Design]] |- | [[Smuggler's Run|''Smuggler's Run'' series]] | 2000–2002 | {{Unbulleted list|Rockstar San Diego{{efn|As Angel Studios.}}|[[Rebellion Developments]] {{small|(GBA version of ''Smuggler's Run'')}}}} |- | [[Midnight Club|''Midnight Club'' series]] | 2000–2008 | {{Unbulleted list|Rockstar San Diego|Rebellion Developments {{small|(GBA version of ''Street Racing'')}}|Rockstar London {{small|(''L.A. Remix'')}}}} |- | ''[[Austin Powers: Oh, Behave!]]'' | 2000 | [[Tarantula Studios]] |- | ''[[Austin Powers: Welcome to My Underground Lair!]]'' | 2000 | Tarantula Studios |- | ''[[The Italian Job (2001 video game)|The Italian Job]]'' | 2001 | Pixelogic |- | ''[[Oni (video game)|Oni]]'' | 2001 | [[Bungie Software]] |- | ''[[State of Emergency (video game)|State of Emergency]]'' | 2002 | [[VIS Entertainment]] |- | [[Max Payne|''Max Payne'' series]] | 2001–2012 | {{Unbulleted list|[[Remedy Entertainment]] {{small|(''Max Payne'' and ''Max Payne 2'')}}|Rockstar Studios{{efn|name=Studios|Rockstar Studios is a collaborative effort between [[Rockstar Vancouver]], [[Rockstar London]], [[Rockstar Toronto]], [[Rockstar New England]], [[Rockstar San Diego]], [[Rockstar Leeds]], and [[Rockstar North]].}} {{small|(''Max Payne 3'')}}}} |- | [[Manhunt (series)|''Manhunt'' series]] | 2003–2007 | {{Unbulleted list|Rockstar North {{small|(''Manhunt'')}}|Rockstar London {{small|(''Manhunt 2'')}}}} |- | [[Red Dead|''Red Dead'' series]] | 2004–2017 | Rockstar San Diego |- | ''[[The Warriors (video game)|The Warriors]]'' | 2005 | Rockstar Toronto |- | ''[[Bully (video game)|Bully]]'' | 2006 | {{Unbulleted list|Rockstar Vancouver|Rockstar New England {{small|(''Scholarship Edition'')}}}} |- | ''[[Rockstar Games Presents Table Tennis]]'' | 2006 | Rockstar San Diego |- | ''[[Beaterator]]'' | 2009 | Rockstar Leeds |- | ''[[L.A. Noire]]'' | 2011 | [[Team Bondi]] |- | ''[[Agent (video game)|Agent]]'' | {{TBA}} | Rockstar North |} == Films produced or released == {| class="wikitable" ! Title !! Year !! Genre |- | ''[[GTA 2: The Movie]]'' || 1999 || Crime drama |- | ''[[The Football Factory (film)|The Football Factory]]'' || 2004 || Drama |- | ''[[Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas – The Introduction]]'' || 2004 || Crime drama |- | ''[[Sunday Driver (film)|Sunday Driver]]'' || 2005 || Documentary |- | ''[[Red Dead Redemption: The Man from Blackwater]]'' || 2010 || Western drama |} == Structure == === Current subsidiaries === {| class="wikitable" ! style="width:5%;" | Logo ! style="width:15%;" | Name ! style="width:10%;" | Location ! style="width:8%;" | Years ! Notes |- | [[File:RAGE Technology Group Logo.svg|50px]] || [[RAGE Technology Group]] || [[Carlsbad, California|Carlsbad]], [[California]], [[United States|U.S.]] || 2006–present || Developer of the [[Rockstar Advanced Game Engine]], located at [[Rockstar San Diego]]. |- | [[File:Rockstar India Logo.svg|50px]] || [[Rockstar India]] || [[Bangalore]], [[India]] || 2016–present || Works in conjunction with the Rockstar Dedicated Unit (RDU) at [[Technicolor India]]. |- | [[File:Rockstar Games Logo.svg|50px]] || [[Rockstar International]] || [[London]], [[England]] || 2005–present || The publishing headquarters for Rockstar Games in the UK, Europe, Asia, Japan, Africa, Australia and South America, located at [[Rockstar London]]. |- | [[File:Rockstar Leeds Logo.svg|50px]] || [[Rockstar Leeds]] || [[Leeds]], England || 2004–present || They created ''[[Grand Theft Auto: Chinatown Wars|Chinatown Wars]]'', ''[[Beaterator]]'', ''[[Grand Theft Auto: Liberty City Stories|Liberty City Stories]]'' and ''[[Grand Theft Auto: Vice City Stories|Vice City Stories]]''. Ported ''[[Max Payne (video game)|Max Payne]]'' to the [[Game Boy Advance]] and ''[[L.A. Noire]]'' to [[Microsoft Windows]]. |- | [[File:Rockstar Lincoln Logo.svg|50px]] || [[Rockstar Lincoln]] || [[Lincoln, England|Lincoln]], England || 1999–present || Quality assurance and localisation responsible for games testing and translating games developed by Rockstar Games.They also developed [[Game Boy Color]] video game ''[[Las Vegas Cool Hand]]''. |- | [[File:Rockstar London logo.svg|50px]] || [[Rockstar London]] || [[London]], England || 2005–present || Formed in November 2005 for the development of ''[[Manhunt 2]]''. Responsible for the portable adaptation of ''[[Midnight Club: Los Angeles]]''. |- | [[File:Rockstar New England Logo.svg|50px]] || [[Rockstar New England]] || [[Andover, Massachusetts|Andover]], [[Massachusetts]], U.S. || 2008–present || Responsible for the Wii, Xbox 360, PC ports of ''[[Bully (video game)|Bully]]''.<ref name="RockstarGamesMerge">{{cite web|url=http://www.rockstarwatch.net/news/378/Rockstar-Acquires-Mad-Doc-Software/|title=Rockstar Acquires Mad Doc Software|publisher=RockstarWatch|accessdate=April 4, 2008}}</ref> |- | [[File:Rockstar North Logo.svg|50px]] || [[Rockstar North]] || [[Edinburgh]], [[Scotland]] || 1999–present || Founded in 1987 as [[DMA Design]] and subsequently acquired in 1999,<ref>{{cite web|title=Take-Two Interactive Buys DMA Design for $11m.|url=http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1G1-55943298.html#|publisher=Computergram International {{Subscription required|via=HighBeam}}|accessdate=September 18, 2015|date=September 30, 1999}}</ref> they are famous for the ''[[Grand Theft Auto]]'', and ''[[Manhunt (series)|Manhunt]]'' franchises, as well as the original ''[[Lemmings (video game)|Lemmings]]'' games as DMA Design. |- | [[File:Rockstar San Diego Logo.svg|50px]] || [[Rockstar San Diego]] || Carlsbad, California, U.S. || 2003–present || As part of Rockstar they developed the [[Rockstar Advanced Game Engine|RAGE]] engine, ''[[Rockstar Games Presents Table Tennis|Rockstar's Table Tennis]]'', the ''[[Midnight Club]]'' series, both ''[[Red Dead Revolver]]'' and ''[[Red Dead Redemption]]''. |- | [[File:Rockstar Toronto Logo.svg|50px]] || [[Rockstar Toronto]] || [[Oakville, Ontario|Oakville]], [[Ontario]], [[Canada]] || 1999–present || Their most well-known work is ''[[The Warriors (video game)|The Warriors]]'', an adaptation of the [[The Warriors (film)|cult classic film]] and the PC version of ''[[Grand Theft Auto IV]]'' and ''[[Grand Theft Auto: Episodes from Liberty City|Episodes from Liberty City]]''. |} === Former subsidiaries === {| class="wikitable" ! style="width:5%;" | Logo ! style="width:15%;" | Name ! style="width:10%;" | Location ! style="width:8%;" | Years ! Notes |- | [[File:Rockstar Vancouver Logo.svg|50px]] || [[Rockstar Vancouver]] || [[Vancouver]], [[British Columbia]], Canada || 2002–2012 || Merged with Rockstar Toronto in 2012. Responsible for the [[PlayStation 2]] title ''[[Bully (video game)|Bully]]'' and the third game in the ''[[Max Payne]]'' series, ''[[Max Payne 3]]''.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.rockstarwatch.net/news/1232/Rockstar-Vancouver-merges-with-Rockstar-Toronto-and-expands/|title=Rockstar Vancouver merges with Rockstar Toronto and expands|author=Jared Linwood|publisher=RockstarWatch|date=July 9, 2012|accessdate=July 9, 2012}}</ref> |- | [[File:Rockstar Vienna Logo.svg|50px]] || [[Rockstar Vienna]] || [[Vienna]], [[Austria]] || 2003–2006 || They ported the ''[[Max Payne]]'' series to consoles, and created some of ''[[Manhunt 2]]'' before being closed down.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.intelligent-artifice.com/2006/05/rockstar_vienna.html|title=Rockstar Vienna closes its doors|author=Jurie Horneman|publisher=Intelligent Artifice|date=May 11, 2006|accessdate=April 21, 2007}}</ref> |} == Technology == === RAGE === {{Main|Rockstar Advanced Game Engine}} Rockstar Games have developed their own game engine called the Rockstar Advanced Game Engine (RAGE) to facilitate game development on the [[PlayStation 3]], [[PlayStation 4]], [[Xbox 360]], [[Xbox One]], [[Microsoft Windows|Windows]], [[Mac OS X|Mac]]{{efn|The OSX version of Max Payne 3 uses [[TransGaming]]'s Cider compatibility layer and does not run natively on OSX.}} and [[Wii]] systems. === Social Club === {{Main|Rockstar Games Social Club}} Rockstar Games Social Club is an online gaming service created by Rockstar for use with their games. == Notes == {{Notelist}} == References == {{Reflist|30em}} == External links == * {{Official website|www.rockstargames.com}} {{Rockstar Games}} {{Take-Two Interactive}} {{BAFTA Academy Fellowship Award}} [[Category:BAFTA fellows]] [[Category:Companies based in New York City]] [[Category:Multinational companies headquartered in the United States]] [[Category:Rockstar Games| ]] [[Category:Take-Two Interactive]] [[Category:Video game companies established in 1998]] [[Category:Video game companies of the United States]] [[Category:Video game development companies]] [[Category:Video game publishers]]'