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Now revered for creating among the most detailed, huge and chaotic open-world motion video games ever made, Rockstar has walked a very distinctive path to changing into a family title. Whereas loads of gamers are used to hijacking automobiles 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 loads of totally different avenues over time, so let’s take a deep dive into Rockstar’s historical past and take a look at all of the video games its varied groups have launched up to now.
How Many Rockstar Video games Are There?
In complete, there have been 47 video games launched by Rockstar. Whereas the label wasn’t fashioned till December 1998, technically its first recreation launched in 1997, and its most up-to-date hit cabinets in 2018. The listing under runs via all of those video games. It’s price noting that the listing gained’t embrace 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 turn into Rockstar’s core studio, Rockstar North) dropped arguably one of the crucial necessary video games of all time: Grand Theft Auto.
A top-down motion recreation the place gamers try and make a reputation as a prison on the streets of varied fictional cities, Grand Theft Auto planted the seeds for one of many trade’s most necessary 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 buddies on hostile alien planets. The sport wasn’t initially launched underneath 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 precisely what you’d count on from a recreation that guarantees each monster vans and insanity. You race large monster vans round varied tracks, trying to beat your pals in multiplayer or finesse every of its 10 programs in single-player.
Grand Theft Auto 2 – 1999
The primary Grand Theft Auto recreation to formally launch underneath the Rockstar banner, Grand Theft Auto 2 expanded on the unique recreation’s premise. Shifting the story to the extra futuristic setting of Anyplace Metropolis, gamers have been tasked with as soon as once more making a reputation for themselves whereas working for crime syndicates, avoiding the police and making chilly exhausting money.
Earthworm Jim 3D – 1999
Developed by VIS Interactive and printed in North America by Rockstar Video games, Earthworm Jim 3D was the third entry within the common 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 collection 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 printed by Rockstar. The concept was to skate via 12 phases, working your means 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 injury 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 printed 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 recreation developed by Opus Corp and printed internationally by Rockstar, Browsing H30 sees gamers participate in browsing tournaments the place they attempt to amass excessive scores by performing methods and different trendy browsing maneuvers.
Austin Powers: Oh, Behave! – 2000
Contemporary 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 based mostly on each Austin Powers: Worldwide Man of Thriller and Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me. Within the recreation, 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 angle of Austin Powers, you performed as his nemesis, Dr Evil. The video games have been functionally the identical, nevertheless.
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 as we speak.
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, vans and different autos, you must evade the legislation and make your deliveries. It was successful for Rockstar, with the writer spinning it off right into a sequel a 12 months later.
Oni – 2001
Coming from Bungie West and printed by Rockstar, Oni is a futuristic sci-fi motion recreation 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 interact in gunfights after unlocking ranged weapons all through the sport.
Max Payne – 2001
Though technically printed by Gathering of Builders, developer Treatment Leisure later teamed with Rockstar to port its trendy noir shooter, Max Payne, to different consoles. Taking over the position of the eponymous hero as he seeks solutions for his household’s dying, 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 staff 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 printed by Gross sales Curve Interactive in 2001. Rockstar later took on publishing duties in North America, re-releasing the sport to US audiences a 12 months later. It was an open-world driving recreation 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 as we speak, 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 collection’ recognition into the stratosphere. Though the sport appeared totally different and supplied a way more detailed metropolis to discover, it didn’t change the basics of the sport.
Enjoying as revenge-driven prison Claude as he makes an attempt to trace down his former girlfriend and partner-in-crime, Catalina, the sport noticed gamers hijack automobiles, escape the legislation and usually turn into a legendary profession prison on the streets of Liberty Metropolis. It fashioned the muse of the collection to come back, 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 preferred in regards to 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 parts, VIS Leisure’s State of Emergency noticed gamers be a part of violent riots in a cartoon world. Enjoying as one in all 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 recreation and lets it unfastened 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 serious 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 bought 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 trendy, 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 dying 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 collection of protests towards violence in video video games, as a number of British and American politicians referred to as for it to be banned.
Purple Useless Revolver – 2004
The start of Rockstar’s now-beloved Purple Useless collection, Rockstar San Diego launched its first tackle the Western style in 2004. Titled Purple Useless Revolver, it casts gamers as a bounty hunter named Purple within the American Frontier, seeing them defeat enemies throughout a collection of ranges. Though Revolver would go on to spawn two infinitely extra profitable sequels, it was largely fairly totally different to its successors, with no open world to discover and a heavier concentrate on 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 outdated, Advance noticed gamers tackle the position of Mike: a Liberty Metropolis prison in search of revenge for the dying of his former accomplice.
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 residence to town of Los Santos, gamers are handled to the most important GTA recreation but, spanning three cities full of missions to finish, crime households to battle and chaos to stitch. San Andreas went on to turn into an immediate basic, nonetheless standing as many followers’ favorite entry to this present day.
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 residence of San Diego. That includes extra road races to finish, it was the most important Midnight Membership expertise thus far, together with the choice to customise automobiles and add new components.
The Warriors – 2005
Performing as each a prequel to and retelling of the 1979 basic 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 in regards to the characters and their lives previous to the occasions of the film.
Grand Theft Auto: Liberty Metropolis Tales – 2005
The collection’ 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 precisely what it feels like: a recreation about ping pong. The corporate’s first recreation 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
Often known 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 over the position of recent 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 turn into one in all Rockstar’s most revered video games and a legendary cult basic, regardless of the very fact its faculty setting drew heavy controversy upon launch. It was later ported to the Xbox 360, Wii and PC underneath 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 recreation, 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 technology 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 prison 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 totally embracing the ability of a brand new technology of consoles in Grand Theft Auto 4, Rockstar San Diego additionally developed a sequel to one in all its hottest franchises utilizing the improve in tech. Midnight Membership: Los Angeles was the fourth (and at present last) entry within the Midnight Membership collection. Just like the final recreation, it noticed gamers work their means as much as changing 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 pacesetter for The Misplaced MC motorbike gang that first appeared within the recreation’s fundamental marketing campaign. Going down alongside Niko Bellic’s story, The Misplaced and Damned launched an entire new story and aspect 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 have been slotted into the sneakers of Huang Lee, serving to the Triads cement themselves as a serious 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 flexibility to create tracks and share them with buddies by way of a number of totally 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 last 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 unfastened ends and formally wrapping up the story.
See our information to the finest GTA characters within the collection.
Purple Useless Redemption – 2010
Years after the staff’s work on Purple Useless Revolver, Rockstar San Diego determined to return to the franchise and ship a sequel, Purple Useless Redemption. Arguably one in all Rockstar’s most acclaimed video games thus far, Purple Useless Redemption advised the story of John Marston: a former outlaw tasked with looking down his outdated gang after they left him for useless. Set within the last years of the Wild West, gamers trek throughout the American Frontier and Mexico, partaking in intense shootouts, killing outlaws and dwelling the cowboy fantasy.
Purple Useless Redemption was an unprecedented hit, changing into an immediate basic and reworking Purple Useless right into a core a part of Rockstar’s portfolio as a consequence of its emotional storytelling, unflinching and satirical illustration of the American West and hard-hitting motion setpieces.
Purple Useless Redemption: Undead Nightmare – 2010
Returning to the sport lower than a 12 months later, Rockstar San Diego opted to ring in Halloween by bringing one thing a bit spookier to its newest launch. Purple Useless 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 usually heralded as among the finest DLCs of all time, providing a enjoyable and surprisingly meaty aspect marketing campaign to dive into.
L.A Noire – 2011
Collaborating with Staff Bondi in 2011, Rockstar printed L.A Noire: an in depth detective recreation 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 expertise for the time, it was a technical marvel upon launch, even when it has turn 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 collection, seeing the titular revenge-driven protagonist shave his head and dive into a way more critical story.
Gone have been the comedian strips, changed by a story of cash, homicide and shady underhand offers, as Max tracks down two lacking girls via a haze of hyper-violent gunfights and dramatic monologues. Max Payne 3 might have been a really totally different imaginative and prescient of the collection, but it surely’s gone on to turn into a cult basic.
Grand Theft Auto 5 – 2013
Not solely Rockstar’s most profitable video games however one of the crucial profitable media merchandise of all time, Grand Theft Auto 5 was the end result of Rockstar North’s work and an immediate basic. Launching on the finish of the Xbox 360 and PS3 lifecycle (after which re-released on the following 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 common, with hundreds of gamers tuning in each day.
Grand Theft Auto On-line – 2013
Initially appearing as a part of Grand Theft Auto 5 earlier than changing 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 buddies 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 and turn into a fixture of town’s prison underworld.
L.A Noire: The VR Case Recordsdata – 2017
L.A Noire: The VR Case Recordsdata is precisely 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 of work together with clues, interrogate witnesses and make arrests whereas totally immersed in digital actuality.
Purple Useless Redemption 2 – 2018
A sequel to Rockstar San Diego’s smash-hit Purple Useless Redemption, Purple Useless Redemption 2 acted as a prequel to the unique recreation, telling the story of Dutch Van Der Linde’s gang shortly earlier than it was disbanded. Enjoying as outlaw Arthur Morgan, Purple Useless Redemption 2 acted as one in all Rockstar’s most concerned storytelling experiences thus far, spinning a story about greed, brotherhood and betrayal set towards the backdrop of the American Frontier.
Purple Useless Redemption 2 went on to turn into one other hit for Rockstar, with gamers praising the superb consideration to element in its huge open-world and very good writing.
Purple Useless On-line – 2018
Very like with Grand Theft Auto On-line, Purple Useless Redemption 2’s multiplayer part, Purple Useless 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 a 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 12 months, with the writer revealing in a press launch that “lively growth for the following entry within the Grand Theft Auto collection is effectively underway.”
As for Max Payne, Treatment Leisure confirmed it was teaming with Rockstar to rebuild the video games final 12 months. In an announcement on its official web site, the corporate acknowledged: “Treatment Leisure, the creators of Max Payne, are happy to announce that they’ll remake the long-lasting Max Payne and Max Payne 2: The Fall of Max Payne video video games in a brand new growth 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 recreation critic, information reporter, guides author and options author.
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