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Now revered for creating a number of the most detailed, huge and chaotic open-world motion video games ever made, Rockstar has walked a very distinctive path to turning into a family title. Whereas loads of gamers are used to hijacking vehicles and robbing banks on the streets of their famed Grand Theft Auto video games, what many don’t know is that Rockstar has made every little thing from licensed Austin Energy tie-ins to an intricate desk tennis simulator.
It’s a big writer that’s explored a whole lot of completely different avenues through the years, so let’s take a deep dive into Rockstar’s historical past and take a look at all of the video games its numerous groups have launched up to now.
How Many Rockstar Video games Are There?
In whole, there have been 47 video games launched by Rockstar. Whereas the label wasn’t fashioned till December 1998, technically its first sport launched in 1997, and its most up-to-date hit cabinets in 2018. The checklist under runs via all of those video games. It’s price noting that the checklist received’t embody any DLCs or remasters, though standalone expansions will make the reduce.
All Rockstar Video games by Launch Date
Grand Theft Auto – 1997
Though technically releasing earlier than the studio was acquired by Take-Two Interactive in 1998 and slotted beneath the Rockstar Video games banner, DMA Design Restricted (which might go on to develop into Rockstar’s core studio, Rockstar North) dropped arguably one of the essential video games of all time: Grand Theft Auto.
A top-down motion sport the place gamers try to make a reputation as a legal on the streets of varied fictional cities, Grand Theft Auto planted the seeds for one of many business’s most essential franchises. Rockstar Video games ultimately re-released this crime simulator a number of instances, cementing it inside their portfolio and definitively making it Rockstar’s flagship franchise.
Wild Steel Nation – 1999
A stop-gap for DMA Design Restricted between Grand Theft Auto and its inevitable successor, Wild Steel Nation sees gamers hop into tanks and battle their pals on hostile alien planets. The sport wasn’t initially launched beneath the Rockstar banner, with Gremlin Interactive seeing to publishing duties. Nevertheless, it was re-released for the Dreamcast in 2004 as an official Rockstar-published title.
Monster Truck Insanity 64 – 1999
Printed by Rockstar and developed by Fringe of Actuality Video games, Monster Truck Insanity 64 is strictly what you’d count on from a sport that guarantees each monster vehicles and insanity. You race large monster vehicles round numerous tracks, making an attempt to beat your folks in multiplayer or finesse every of its 10 programs in single-player.
Grand Theft Auto 2 – 1999
The primary Grand Theft Auto sport to formally launch beneath the Rockstar banner, Grand Theft Auto 2 expanded on the unique sport’s premise. Shifting the story to the extra futuristic setting of Anyplace Metropolis, gamers had been tasked with as soon as once more making a reputation for themselves whereas working for crime syndicates, avoiding the police and making chilly arduous money.
Earthworm Jim 3D – 1999
Developed by VIS Interactive and revealed in North America by Rockstar Video games, Earthworm Jim 3D was the third entry within the well-liked Earthworm Jim franchise. It noticed the titular anthropomorphic insect hero get trapped inside his fracturing consciousness, needing to defeat enemies from his previous to wake again up. As its title suggests, it took the sequence to the 3D realm for the primary time, following within the footsteps of N64 video games like Tremendous Mario 64 and The Legend of Zelda: The Ocarina of Time.
Thrasher Presents: Skate and Destroy – 1999
Pitted as a rival to Tony Hawk’s Professional Skater, Thrasher Presents: Skate and Destroy was developed by Z-Axis and revealed by Rockstar. The thought was to skate via 12 phases, working your approach up via the skater world and ultimately starring in Thrasher journal. Skate and Destroy targeted totally on physics and a sim-like gameplay fashion, with the participant in a position to ragdoll and take harm in the event that they fell from their board.
Evel Knievel – 1999
A Gameboy Color title that casts gamers because the well-known stunt performer of the identical title, Evel Knievel was developed by Tarantula Studios (later rebranded as Rockstar Lincoln) and revealed by Rockstar. The sport duties the participant with finishing a handful of death-defying stunts atop a motorbike, with 20 stunts to play via.
Browsing H30 – 2000
A browsing sport developed by Opus Corp and revealed internationally by Rockstar, Browsing H30 sees gamers participate in browsing tournaments the place they attempt to amass excessive scores by performing methods and different fashionable browsing maneuvers.
Austin Powers: Oh, Behave! – 2000
Recent off Evil Knievel, Tarantula Studios took on two Gameboy Color tie-ins for the revered British spy spoof franchise, Austin Powers. The primary of those video games was Austin Powers: Oh, Behave, which was a group of mini-games primarily based on each Austin Powers: Worldwide Man of Thriller and Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me. Within the sport, gamers tackle the position of Austin Powers, reliving sure scenes from the movies.
Austin Powers: Welcome to my Underground Lair! – 2000
The second Austin Powers tie-in, Austin Powers: Welcome to My Underground Lair launched on the identical day and was a mirrored launch of Austin Powers: Oh, Behave. As an alternative of taking part in mini-games from the attitude of Austin Powers, you performed as his nemesis, Dr Evil. The video games had been functionally the identical, nonetheless.
Midnight Membership: Road Racing – 2000
One of many first collaborations between Angel Video games (later renamed Rockstar San Diego) and Rockstar, Midnight Membership: Road Racing transported gamers to the streets of London and New York, tasking them with successful high-stakes road races to bolster their status. Boasting open-world maps that gamers might drive round freely, it spawned a franchise that followers are nonetheless clamoring to see return at the moment.
Smuggler’s Run – 2000
Developed in tandem with Midnight Membership: Road Racing, Angel Video games’ Smuggler’s Run sees gamers take management of a smuggler throughout a number of open-world ranges. Utilizing dune buggies, vehicles and different autos, it’s a must to evade the legislation and make your deliveries. It was a hit for Rockstar, with the writer spinning it off right into a sequel a yr later.
Oni – 2001
Coming from Bungie West and revealed by Rockstar, Oni is a futuristic sci-fi motion sport with an anime artwork fashion. It facilities round Konoko: a particular agent who goes rogue after studying her superiors are brewing a sinister plot. Oni focuses totally on hand-to-hand melee fight, with the participant ultimately in a position to have interaction in gunfights after unlocking ranged weapons all through the sport.
Max Payne – 2001
Though technically revealed by Gathering of Builders, developer Treatment Leisure later teamed with Rockstar to port its fashionable noir shooter, Max Payne, to different consoles. Taking up the position of the eponymous hero as he seeks solutions for his household’s demise, Max Payne noticed gamers run via the gritty streets of New York whereas utilizing the now-iconic bullet time mechanic to kill enemies in slow-motion. Max Payne later grew to become a fixture of Rockstar’s portfolio, with the crew taking over full publishing duties for its two sequels.
The Italian Job – 2001
A online game adaptation of the long-lasting 1969 heist film of the identical title, Pixelogic’s tackle The Italian Job was initially revealed by Gross sales Curve Interactive in 2001. Rockstar later took on publishing duties in North America, re-releasing the sport to US audiences a yr later. It was an open-world driving sport that noticed gamers arrange and full the film’s signature heist.
Grand Theft Auto 3 – 2001
Arguably the start of Rockstar as we all know it at the moment, Grand Theft Auto 3 took the top-down sandbox motion of its predecessors and switched it out for a 3D, third-person, open-world shooter, consequently launching the sequence’ reputation into the stratosphere. Though the sport appeared completely different and supplied a way more detailed metropolis to discover, it didn’t change the basics of the sport.
Taking part in as revenge-driven legal Claude as he makes an attempt to trace down his former girlfriend and partner-in-crime, Catalina, the sport noticed gamers hijack vehicles, escape the legislation and usually develop into a legendary profession legal on the streets of Liberty Metropolis. It fashioned the muse of the sequence to return, paving the best way for a number of main sequels and creating an explosion in curiosity for the open-world sandbox style.
Smuggler’s Run 2: Hostile Territory – 2001
The sequel to Angel Studios’ Smuggler’s Run, Smuggler’s Run 2: Hostile Territory supplied gamers extra of what they favored concerning the authentic. Very like earlier than, you play as a smuggler, sneaking cargo throughout three maps, with quite a lot of new and returning autos to make use of.
State of Emergency – 2002
A beat-em-up brawler with third-person shooter components, VIS Leisure’s State of Emergency noticed gamers be part of violent riots in a cartoon world. Taking part in as one among 5 characters, they needed to defeat enemies and full missions, utilizing melee weapons, weapons and explosives to trigger chaos.
Grand Theft Auto: Vice Metropolis – 2002
The primary of many follow-ups to Grand Theft Auto 3, Vice Metropolis takes the 3D, open-world chaos of Rockstar North’s final sport and lets it free on the streets of Vice Metropolis (GTA’s fictional tackle Miami). Set within the 80s, gamers step into the position of Tommy Verceti, a gangster tasked with infiltrating the underworld crime scene of Vice Metropolis after a drug deal gone awry.
Midnight Membership 2 – 2003
A sequel to Rockstar San Diego’s road racing hit, Midnight Membership 2 gave gamers new races to overcome on the streets of LA, Paris and Tokyo. That includes bikes for the primary time, the sport was a significant enlargement on its predecessor.
Max Payne 2: The Fall of Max Payne – 2003
The sequel to Treatment Leisure’s first Max Payne journey, this time round, Rockstar acquired full publishing rights. Selecting the story again up as Max Payne returns to his job as a member of the New York Police Division, the sport gives one other gritty string of marketing campaign missions and quite a lot of fashionable, slow-motion shootouts. Max Payne 2 additionally launched a second playable protagonist, with gamers taking over the position of Mona Sax in sure missions.
Manhunt – 2003
Arguably essentially the most controversial franchise Rockstar has ever produced, Rockstar North’s Manhunt solid gamers as James Earl Money: a demise row inmate pressured to take part in disturbing snuff movies to win his freedom. Focusing largely on stealth segments and grisly takedowns utilizing makeshift weapons, the sport was met with a sequence of protests towards violence in video video games, as a number of British and American politicians known as for it to be banned.
Purple Lifeless Revolver – 2004
The start of Rockstar’s now-beloved Purple Lifeless sequence, Rockstar San Diego launched its first tackle the Western style in 2004. Titled Purple Lifeless Revolver, it casts gamers as a bounty hunter named Purple within the American Frontier, seeing them defeat enemies throughout a sequence of ranges. Though Revolver would go on to spawn two infinitely extra profitable sequels, it was largely fairly completely different to its successors, with no open world to discover and a heavier give attention to arcade motion over a practical world and emotional story.
Grand Theft Auto Advance – 2004
Digital Advance’s tackle the Grand Theft Auto franchise, Grand Theft Auto Advance took Rockstar’s seminal open-world crime sandbox and reimagined it for the GameBoy Advance. Returning to the top-down motion of previous, Advance noticed gamers tackle the position of Mike: a Liberty Metropolis legal looking for revenge for the demise of his former associate.
See our picks for the finest GBA video games for extra like this.
Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas – 2004
Releasing in tandem with GTA: Advance, Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas was Rockstar North’s subsequent mainline entry within the Grand Theft Auto franchise. Telling the story of former gangster CJ as he returns dwelling to town of Los Santos, gamers are handled to the most important GTA sport but, spanning three cities full of missions to finish, crime households to battle and chaos to stitch. San Andreas went on to develop into an instantaneous traditional, nonetheless standing as many followers’ favorite entry to at the present time.
Midnight Membership 3 – 2005
The third entry in Rockstar San Diego’s racing franchise, Midnight Membership 3 took gamers to Atlanta, Detroit and the studio’s dwelling of San Diego. That includes extra road races to finish, it was the most important Midnight Membership expertise so far, together with the choice to customise vehicles and add new components.
The Warriors – 2005
Performing as each a prequel to and retelling of the 1979 traditional motion movie of the identical title, Rockstar Toronto’s The Warriors was a melee-based beat-em-up following a bunch of road thugs fleeing to Coney Island whereas pursued by the police and New York’s most violent gangs. Gamers can get pleasure from a number of story missions the place they brawl with different gangs in The Warriors universe, whereas additionally attending to be taught extra concerning the characters and their lives previous to the occasions of the film.
Grand Theft Auto: Liberty Metropolis Tales – 2005
The sequence’ second foray into handheld spin-offs, Rockstar North and Rockstar Leeds took the Grand Theft Auto franchise to Sony’s PSP with Liberty Metropolis Tales. Following Tony Cipriani earlier than he grew to become concerned with Claude in Grand Theft Auto 3, it was an open-world journey that noticed gamers full jobs for Don Salvatore Leone.
Rockstar Video games Presents Desk Tennis – 2006
A radical departure for a writer that largely dealt in violent motion video games and sprawling open worlds, Rockstar Video games Presents Desk Tennis is strictly what it appears like: a sport about ping pong. The corporate’s first sport for the Xbox 360, Rockstar San Diego endeavored to make a practical simulation of desk tennis that acted as one thing of a tech demo for its new RAGE engine, full with state-of-the-art graphics for the time.
Bully – 2006
Also referred to as Canis Canem Edit in Europe, Rockstar Vancouver’s open-world beat-em-up Bully took all of the chaotic motion of Grand Theft Auto and shifted it to a highschool setting. Taking up the position of latest child Jimmy Hopkins as he’s despatched to Bullsworth Academy, gamers discover themselves exploring a rundown boarding faculty with lessons to attend, cliques to infiltrate and a prolonged story to play via.
Bully has rapidly develop into one among Rockstar’s most revered video games and a legendary cult traditional, despite the actual fact its faculty setting drew heavy controversy upon launch. It was later ported to the Xbox 360, Wii and PC beneath the title Bully: Scholarship Version.
Grand Theft Auto: Vice Metropolis Tales – 2006
The second of Rockstar’s Grand Theft Auto PSP spin-offs, Rockstar North and Rockstar Leeds got here collectively as soon as once more to launch Grand Theft Auto: Vice Metropolis Tales. Performing as a prequel to Vice Metropolis, the sport adopted ex-soldier Vic Vance as he made his title on the streets of the titular metropolis, providing extra open-world mayhem on Sony’s signature handheld system.
Manhunt 2 – 2007
With Rockstar North handing the reins over to Rockstar London, Rockstar commissioned a sequel to its extremely controversial stealth-focused motion sport, Manhunt. Manhunt 2 adopted new protagonists Daniel Lamb and Leo Kaspar, permitting gamers to tackle the roles of each characters as they as soon as once more fought to outlive a hyper-violent string of disturbing snuff movies.
Grand Theft Auto 4 – 2008
The primary iteration of Grand Theft Auto launched for the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 era of consoles, Rockstar North’s Grand Theft Auto 4 returned to the setting of Liberty Metropolis, casting gamers as Niko Bellic. Tasked with discovering fortune and revenge on the sprawling metropolis’ streets, the story noticed gamers rise via the ranks of the legal underworld, providing an exponentially extra detailed and expansive open world. It will later spin off into two standalone expansions.
Midnight Membership: Los Angeles – 2008
With Rockstar North absolutely embracing the facility of a brand new era of consoles in Grand Theft Auto 4, Rockstar San Diego additionally developed a sequel to one among its hottest franchises utilizing the improve in tech. Midnight Membership: Los Angeles was the fourth (and at the moment remaining) entry within the Midnight Membership sequence. Just like the final sport, it noticed gamers work their approach as much as turning into a racing legend, this time cruising via the sunny streets of LA.
Grand Theft Auto 4: The Misplaced and Damned – 2009
The primary of two main expansions for Grand Theft Auto 4, Rockstar North returned to inform the story of Johnny Klebitz: a frontrunner for The Misplaced MC motorbike gang that first appeared within the sport’s important marketing campaign. Going down alongside Niko Bellic’s story, The Misplaced and Damned launched an entire new story and facet actions, seeing gamers handle the Misplaced MC and its members.
Grand Theft Auto: Chinatown Wars – 2009
In one other handheld collaboration between Rockstar North and Rockstar Leeds, Grand Theft Auto: Chinatown Wars introduced the world of Grand Theft Auto to the Nintendo DS. Returning to the top-down fashion of the primary Grand Theft Auto video games, gamers had been slotted into the footwear of Huang Lee, serving to the Triads cement themselves as a significant pressure in Liberty Metropolis.
Beaterator – 2009
A slight change in tempo for the corporate, Rockstar Leeds moved away from Grand Theft Auto ports to create a music mixer for the PSP. Beaterator gave gamers the power to create tracks and share them with pals through a number of completely different modes. It was later launched for iOS gadgets.
Grand Theft Auto 4: The Ballad of Homosexual Tony – 2009
The ultimate enlargement for Grand Theft Auto 4, Rockstar North returned to the streets of Liberty Metropolis one remaining time for The Ballad of Homosexual Tony. Telling the story of Luis Lopez, the enlargement noticed gamers get caught into the world of LC’s membership scene, serving to the titular Homosexual Tony battle off debt collectors, gangs and rivals. It was as soon as once more set alongside the story of the principle marketing campaign, tying off a number of free ends and formally wrapping up the story.
See our information to the finest GTA characters within the sequence.
Purple Lifeless Redemption – 2010
Years after the crew’s work on Purple Lifeless Revolver, Rockstar San Diego determined to return to the franchise and ship a sequel, Purple Lifeless Redemption. Arguably one among Rockstar’s most acclaimed video games so far, Purple Lifeless Redemption instructed the story of John Marston: a former outlaw tasked with looking down his previous gang after they left him for lifeless. Set within the remaining years of the Wild West, gamers trek throughout the American Frontier and Mexico, participating in intense shootouts, killing outlaws and residing the cowboy fantasy.
Purple Lifeless Redemption was an unprecedented hit, turning into an instantaneous traditional and remodeling Purple Lifeless right into a core a part of Rockstar’s portfolio attributable to its emotional storytelling, unflinching and satirical illustration of the American West and hard-hitting motion setpieces.
Purple Lifeless Redemption: Undead Nightmare – 2010
Returning to the sport lower than a yr later, Rockstar San Diego opted to ring in Halloween by bringing one thing a little bit spookier to its newest launch. Purple Lifeless Redemption: Undead Nightmare reimagined the American West as a zombie-filled wasteland, telling an alternate universe story the place John Marston returned from his mission proper as an undead plague descended upon the land. Revisiting a number of characters from the principle marketing campaign, Marston has to place iconic enemies again within the grave in addition to slaying zombie hordes and legendary creatures.
The enlargement is commonly heralded as probably the greatest DLCs of all time, providing a enjoyable and surprisingly meaty facet marketing campaign to dive into.
L.A Noire – 2011
Collaborating with Group Bondi in 2011, Rockstar revealed L.A Noire: an in depth detective sport the place gamers must uncover mysteries, interrogate witnesses and take down criminals. L.A Noire places gamers within the position of LAPD officer Detective Cole Phelps, who rises via the ranks of the police division whereas uncovering a sinister conspiracy. That includes state-of-the-art movement seize know-how for the time, it was a technical marvel upon launch, even when it has develop into a fixture of meme tradition within the years since.
Max Payne 3 – 2012
With Treatment Leisure handing the keys of the franchise over to Rockstar Video games for the third installment, Max Payne 3 launched in 2012. Taking the story from the grungey streets of New York to the sunny vistas of Brazil, Max Payne 3 was a totally new tackle the Max Payne sequence, seeing the titular revenge-driven protagonist shave his head and dive into a way more critical story.
Gone had been the comedian strips, changed by a story of cash, homicide and shady underhand offers, as Max tracks down two lacking ladies via a haze of hyper-violent gunfights and dramatic monologues. Max Payne 3 could have been a really completely different imaginative and prescient of the sequence, but it surely’s gone on to develop into a cult traditional.
Grand Theft Auto 5 – 2013
Not solely Rockstar’s most profitable video games however one of the profitable media merchandise of all time, Grand Theft Auto 5 was the fruits of Rockstar North’s work and an instantaneous traditional. Launching on the finish of the Xbox 360 and PS3 lifecycle (after which re-released on the subsequent two console generations), the fifth mainline installment within the franchise noticed gamers tackle the roles of Franklin, Michael and Trevor: three profession criminals that come collectively to stage elaborate heists throughout town of Los Santos.
Permitting gamers to leap between all three characters on the push of a button, Grand Theft Auto 5 supplied open-world chaos on an unprecedented scale, making a hyper-detailed metropolis full of crimes to commit, missions to finish and cash to make. Within the years since, it’s remained immensely well-liked, with hundreds of gamers tuning in each day.
Grand Theft Auto On-line – 2013
Initially performing as a part of Grand Theft Auto 5 earlier than turning into a standalone expertise in 2022, Grand Theft Auto On-line gives gamers a live-service tackle the world of GTA. Given free rein to trigger chaos with pals round Los Santos, gamers can discover missions, PvP matches, races and countless different actions to participate in as they degree up their avatar and try to develop into a fixture of town’s legal underworld.
L.A Noire: The VR Case Recordsdata – 2017
L.A Noire: The VR Case Recordsdata is strictly what its title suggests: a rendition of a few of L.A Noire’s most memorable circumstances however playable with a VR headset. Remaking seven mysteries for the participant to unravel, they’ll be capable to work together with clues, interrogate witnesses and make arrests whereas absolutely immersed in digital actuality.
Purple Lifeless Redemption 2 – 2018
A sequel to Rockstar San Diego’s smash-hit Purple Lifeless Redemption, Purple Lifeless Redemption 2 acted as a prequel to the unique sport, telling the story of Dutch Van Der Linde’s gang shortly earlier than it was disbanded. Taking part in as outlaw Arthur Morgan, Purple Lifeless Redemption 2 acted as one among Rockstar’s most concerned storytelling experiences so far, spinning a story about greed, brotherhood and betrayal set towards the backdrop of the American Frontier.
Purple Lifeless Redemption 2 went on to develop into one other hit for Rockstar, with gamers praising the wonderful consideration to element in its huge open-world and excellent writing.
Purple Lifeless On-line – 2018
Very like with Grand Theft Auto On-line, Purple Lifeless Redemption 2’s multiplayer part, Purple Lifeless On-line, ultimately grew to become a standalone expertise after launch. Permitting gamers to create their very own outlaw, they’re free to discover the American Frontier, be part of gangs and full missions, levelling up their cowboy and kitting them out with new gear as they conquer the west.
Upcoming Rockstar Video games
As for what’s coming subsequent from Rockstar, the corporate has confirmed two tasks within the pipeline: Grand Theft Auto 6 and remakes of Max Payne and Max Payne 2. After years of ready, Grand Theft Auto 6 was formally confirmed by Rockstar final yr, with the writer revealing in a press launch that “energetic improvement for the subsequent entry within the Grand Theft Auto sequence is nicely underway.”
As for Max Payne, Treatment Leisure confirmed it was teaming with Rockstar to rebuild the video games final yr. In an announcement on its official web site, the corporate said: “Treatment Leisure, the creators of Max Payne, are happy to announce that they are going to remake the long-lasting Max Payne and Max Payne 2: The Fall of Max Payne video video games in a brand new improvement settlement with Rockstar Video games.”
- Grand Theft Auto 6 – Date TBD
- Max Payne and Max Payne 2: The Fall of Max Payne Remakes – Date TBD
Callum Williams is a freelance media author with years of expertise as a sport critic, information reporter, guides author and options author.
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