Now revered for creating some of the most detailed, vast and chaotic open-world action games ever made, Rockstar has walked a particularly unique path to becoming a household name. While plenty of players are used to hijacking cars and robbing banks on the streets of their famed Grand Theft Auto games, what many don’t know is that Rockstar has made everything from licensed Austin Power tie-ins to an intricate table tennis simulator.
It’s a large publisher that’s explored a lot of different avenues over the years, so let’s take a deep dive into Rockstar’s history and look at all the games its various teams have released so far.
In total, there have been 47 games released by Rockstar. While the label wasn't formed until December 1998, technically its first game launched in 1997, and its most recent hit shelves in 2018. The list below runs through all of these games. It’s worth noting that the list won’t include any DLCs or remasters, although standalone expansions will make the cut.
Although technically releasing before the studio was acquired by Take-Two Interactive in 1998 and slotted beneath the Rockstar Games banner, DMA Design Limited (which would go on to become Rockstar’s core studio, Rockstar North) dropped arguably one of the most important games of all time: Grand Theft Auto.
A top-down action game where players attempt to make a name as a criminal on the streets of various fictional cities, Grand Theft Auto planted the seeds for one of the industry’s most important franchises. Rockstar Games eventually re-released this crime simulator several times, cementing it within their portfolio and definitively making it Rockstar’s flagship franchise.
A stop-gap for DMA Design Limited between Grand Theft Auto and its inevitable successor, Wild Metal Country sees players hop into tanks and battle their friends on hostile alien planets. The game wasn’t initially released under the Rockstar banner, with Gremlin Interactive seeing to publishing duties. However, it was re-released for the Dreamcast in 2004 as an official Rockstar-published title.
Published by Rockstar and developed by Edge of Reality Games, Monster Truck Madness 64 is exactly what you’d expect from a game that promises both monster trucks and madness. You race big monster trucks around various tracks, attempting to beat your friends in multiplayer or finesse each of its 10 courses in single-player.
The first Grand Theft Auto game to officially launch under the Rockstar banner, Grand Theft Auto 2 expanded on the original game’s premise. Shifting the story to the more futuristic setting of Anywhere City, players were tasked with once again making a name for themselves while working for crime syndicates, avoiding the police and making cold hard cash.
Developed by VIS Interactive and published in North America by Rockstar Games, Earthworm Jim 3D was the third entry in the popular Earthworm Jim franchise. It saw the titular anthropomorphic insect hero get trapped inside his fracturing consciousness, needing to defeat enemies from his past to wake back up. As its title suggests, it took the series to the 3D realm for the first time, following in the footsteps of N64 games like Super Mario 64 and The Legend of Zelda: The Ocarina of Time.
Pitted as a rival to Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater, Thrasher Presents: Skate and Destroy was developed by Z-Axis and published by Rockstar. The idea was to skate through 12 stages, working your way up through the skater world and eventually starring in Thrasher magazine. Skate and Destroy focused primarily on physics and a sim-like gameplay style, with the player able to ragdoll and take damage if they fell from their board.
A Gameboy Colour title that casts players as the famous stunt performer of the same name, Evel Knievel was developed by Tarantula Studios (later rebranded as Rockstar Lincoln) and published by Rockstar. The game tasks the player with completing a handful of death-defying stunts atop a bike, with 20 stunts to play through.
A surfing game developed by Opus Corp and published internationally by Rockstar, Surfing H30 sees players take part in surfing tournaments where they try to amass high scores by performing tricks and other stylish surfing maneuvers.
Fresh off Evil Knievel, Tarantula Studios took on two Gameboy Colour tie-ins for the revered British spy spoof franchise, Austin Powers. The first of these games was Austin Powers: Oh, Behave, which was a collection of mini-games based on both Austin Powers: International Man of Mystery and Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me. In the game, players take on the role of Austin Powers, reliving certain scenes from the films.
The second Austin Powers tie-in, Austin Powers: Welcome to My Underground Lair launched on the same day and was a mirrored release of Austin Powers: Oh, Behave. Instead of playing mini-games from the perspective of Austin Powers, you played as his nemesis, Dr Evil. The games were functionally the same, however.
One of the first collaborations between Angel Games (later renamed Rockstar San Diego) and Rockstar, Midnight Club: Street Racing transported players to the streets of London and New York, tasking them with winning high-stakes street races to bolster their reputation. Boasting open-world maps that players could drive around freely, it spawned a franchise that fans are still clamoring to see return today.
Developed in tandem with Midnight Club: Street Racing, Angel Games’ Smuggler’s Run sees players take control of a smuggler across several open-world levels. Using dune buggies, trucks and other vehicles, you have to evade the law and make your deliveries. It was a success for Rockstar, with the publisher spinning it off into a sequel a year later.
Coming from Bungie West and published by Rockstar, Oni is a futuristic sci-fi action game with an anime art style. It centers around Konoko: a special agent who goes rogue after learning her superiors are brewing a sinister plot. Oni focuses primarily on hand-to-hand melee combat, with the player eventually able to engage in gunfights after unlocking ranged weapons throughout the game.
Although technically published by Gathering of Developers, developer Remedy Entertainment later teamed with Rockstar to port its stylish noir shooter, Max Payne, to other consoles. Taking on the role of the eponymous hero as he seeks answers for his family’s death, Max Payne saw players run through the gritty streets of New York while using the now-iconic bullet time mechanic to kill enemies in slow-motion. Max Payne later became a fixture of Rockstar’s portfolio, with the team taking on full publishing duties for its two sequels.
A video game adaptation of the iconic 1969 heist movie of the same name, Pixelogic’s take on The Italian Job was initially published by Sales Curve Interactive in 2001. Rockstar later took on publishing duties in North America, re-releasing the game to US audiences a year later. It was an open-world driving game that saw players set up and complete the movie’s signature heist.
Arguably the beginning of Rockstar as we know it today, Grand Theft Auto 3 took the top-down sandbox action of its predecessors and switched it out for a 3D, third-person, open-world shooter, consequently launching the series’ popularity into the stratosphere. Although the game looked different and offered a much more detailed city to explore, it didn’t change the fundamentals of the game.
Playing as revenge-driven criminal Claude as he attempts to track down his former girlfriend and partner-in-crime, Catalina, the game saw players hijack cars, escape the law and generally become a legendary career criminal on the streets of Liberty City. It formed the foundation of the series to come, paving the way for several major sequels and creating an explosion in interest for the open-world sandbox genre.
The sequel to Angel Studios’ Smuggler’s Run, Smuggler’s Run 2: Hostile Territory offered players more of what they liked about the original. Much like before, you play as a smuggler, sneaking cargo across three maps, with a variety of new and returning vehicles to use.
A beat-em-up brawler with third-person shooter elements, VIS Entertainment’s State of Emergency saw players join violent riots in a cartoon world. Playing as one of five characters, they had to defeat enemies and complete missions, using melee weapons, guns and explosives to cause chaos.
The first of many follow-ups to Grand Theft Auto 3, Vice City takes the 3D, open-world chaos of Rockstar North’s last game and lets it loose on the streets of Vice City (GTA’s fictional take on Miami). Set in the 80s, players step into the role of Tommy Verceti, a gangster tasked with infiltrating the underworld crime scene of Vice City after a drug deal gone awry.
A sequel to Rockstar San Diego’s street racing hit, Midnight Club 2 gave players new races to conquer on the streets of LA, Paris and Tokyo. Featuring bikes for the first time, the game was a major expansion on its predecessor.
The sequel to Remedy Entertainment’s first Max Payne adventure, this time around, Rockstar got full publishing rights. Picking the story back up as Max Payne returns to his job as a member of the New York Police Department, the game offers another gritty string of campaign missions and a variety of stylish, slow-motion shootouts. Max Payne 2 also introduced a second playable protagonist, with players taking on the role of Mona Sax in certain missions.
Arguably the most controversial franchise Rockstar has ever produced, Rockstar North’s Manhunt cast players as James Earl Cash: a death row inmate forced to participate in disturbing snuff films to win his freedom. Focusing largely on stealth segments and grisly takedowns using makeshift weapons, the game was met with a series of protests against violence in video games, as several British and American politicians called for it to be banned.
The beginning of Rockstar’s now-beloved Red Dead series, Rockstar San Diego released its first take on the Western genre in 2004. Titled Red Dead Revolver, it casts players as a bounty hunter named Red in the American Frontier, seeing them defeat enemies across a series of levels. Although Revolver would go on to spawn two infinitely more successful sequels, it was largely quite different to its successors, with no open world to explore and a heavier focus on arcade action over a realistic world and emotional story.
Digital Advance’s take on 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 action of old, Advance saw players take on the role of Mike: a Liberty City criminal seeking revenge for the death of his former partner.
See our picks for the best GBA games for more like this.
Releasing in tandem with GTA: Advance, Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas was Rockstar North’s next mainline entry in the Grand Theft Auto franchise. Telling the story of former gangster CJ as he returns home to the city of Los Santos, players are treated to the biggest GTA game yet, spanning three cities filled with missions to complete, crime families to battle and chaos to sew. San Andreas went on to become an instant classic, still standing as many fans’ favourite entry to this day.
The third entry in Rockstar San Diego’s racing franchise, Midnight Club 3 took players to Atlanta, Detroit and the studio’s home of San Diego. Featuring more street races to complete, it was the biggest Midnight Club experience to date, including the option to customize cars and add new parts.
Acting as both a prequel to and retelling of the 1979 classic action film of the same name, Rockstar Toronto’s The Warriors was a melee-based beat-em-up following a group of street thugs fleeing to Coney Island while pursued by the police and New York’s most violent gangs. Players can enjoy several story missions where they brawl with other gangs in The Warriors universe, while also getting to learn more about the characters and their lives prior to the events of the movie.
The series' second foray into handheld spin-offs, Rockstar North and Rockstar Leeds took the Grand Theft Auto franchise to Sony’s PSP with Liberty City Stories. Following Tony Cipriani before he became involved with Claude in Grand Theft Auto 3, it was an open-world adventure that saw players complete jobs for Don Salvatore Leone.
A radical departure for a publisher that largely dealt in violent action games and sprawling open worlds, Rockstar Games Presents Table Tennis is exactly what it sounds like: a game about ping pong. The company’s first game for the Xbox 360, Rockstar San Diego endeavored to make a realistic simulation of table tennis that acted as something of a tech demo for its new RAGE engine, complete with state-of-the-art graphics for the time.
Also known as Canis Canem Edit in Europe, Rockstar Vancouver’s open-world beat-em-up Bully took all the chaotic action of Grand Theft Auto and shifted it to a high school setting. Taking on the role of new kid Jimmy Hopkins as he’s sent to Bullsworth Academy, players find themselves exploring a rundown boarding school with classes to attend, cliques to infiltrate and a lengthy story to play through.
Bully has quickly become one of Rockstar’s most revered games and a legendary cult classic, in spite of the fact its school setting drew heavy controversy upon release. It was later ported to the Xbox 360, Wii and PC under the title Bully: Scholarship Edition.
The second of Rockstar’s Grand Theft Auto PSP spin-offs, Rockstar North and Rockstar Leeds came together once again to release Grand Theft Auto: Vice City Stories. Acting as a prequel to Vice City, the game followed ex-soldier Vic Vance as he made his name on the streets of the titular metropolis, offering more open-world mayhem on Sony’s signature handheld device.
With Rockstar North handing the reins over to Rockstar London, Rockstar commissioned a sequel to its highly controversial stealth-focused action game, Manhunt. Manhunt 2 followed new protagonists Daniel Lamb and Leo Kaspar, allowing players to take on the roles of both characters as they once again fought to survive a hyper-violent string of disturbing snuff films.
The first iteration of Grand Theft Auto released for the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 generation of consoles, Rockstar North’s Grand Theft Auto 4 returned to the setting of Liberty City, casting players as Niko Bellic. Tasked with finding fortune and revenge on the sprawling metropolis’ streets, the story saw players rise through the ranks of the criminal underworld, offering an exponentially more detailed and expansive open world. It would later spin off into two standalone expansions.
With Rockstar North fully embracing the power of a new generation of consoles in Grand Theft Auto 4, Rockstar San Diego also developed a sequel to one of its most popular franchises using the upgrade in tech. Midnight Club: Los Angeles was the fourth (and currently final) entry in the Midnight Club series. Like the last game, it saw players work their way up to becoming a racing legend, this time cruising through the sunny streets of LA.
The first of two major expansions for Grand Theft Auto 4, Rockstar North returned to tell the story of Johnny Klebitz: a leader for The Lost MC motorcycle gang that first appeared in the game’s main campaign. Taking place alongside Niko Bellic’s story, The Lost and Damned introduced a whole new story and side activities, seeing players manage the Lost MC and its members.
In another handheld collaboration between Rockstar North and Rockstar Leeds, Grand Theft Auto: Chinatown Wars brought the world of Grand Theft Auto to the Nintendo DS. Returning to the top-down style of the first Grand Theft Auto games, players were slotted into the shoes of Huang Lee, helping the Triads cement themselves as a major force in Liberty City.
A slight change in pace for the company, Rockstar Leeds moved away from Grand Theft Auto ports to create a music mixer for the PSP. Beaterator gave players the ability to create tracks and share them with friends via several different modes. It was later released for iOS devices.
The final expansion for Grand Theft Auto 4, Rockstar North returned to the streets of Liberty City one final time for The Ballad of Gay Tony. Telling the story of Luis Lopez, the expansion saw players get stuck into the world of LC’s club scene, helping the titular Gay Tony battle off debt collectors, gangs and rivals. It was once again set alongside the story of the main campaign, tying off several loose ends and officially wrapping up the story.
See our guide to the best GTA characters in the series.
Years after the team’s work on Red Dead Revolver, Rockstar San Diego decided to return to the franchise and deliver a sequel, Red Dead Redemption. Arguably one of Rockstar’s most acclaimed games to date, Red Dead Redemption told the story of John Marston: a former outlaw tasked with hunting down his old gang after they left him for dead. Set in the final years of the Wild West, players trek across the American Frontier and Mexico, engaging in intense shootouts, killing outlaws and living the cowboy fantasy.
Red Dead Redemption was an unprecedented hit, becoming an instant classic and transforming Red Dead into a core part of Rockstar’s portfolio due to its emotional storytelling, unflinching and satirical representation of the American West and hard-hitting action setpieces.
Returning to the game less than a year later, Rockstar San Diego opted to ring in Halloween by bringing something a little spookier to its latest release. Red Dead Redemption: Undead Nightmare reimagined the American West as a zombie-filled wasteland, telling an alternate universe story where John Marston returned from his mission right as an undead plague descended upon the land. Revisiting multiple characters from the main campaign, Marston has to put iconic enemies back in the grave as well as slaying zombie hordes and mythical creatures.
The expansion is often heralded as one of the best DLCs of all time, offering a fun and surprisingly meaty side campaign to dive into.
Collaborating with Team Bondi in 2011, Rockstar published L.A Noire: a detailed detective game where players have to uncover mysteries, interrogate witnesses and take down criminals. L.A Noire puts players in the role of LAPD officer Detective Cole Phelps, who rises through the ranks of the police department while uncovering a sinister conspiracy. Featuring state-of-the-art motion capture technology for the time, it was a technical marvel upon release, even if it has become a fixture of meme culture in the years since.
With Remedy Entertainment handing the keys of the franchise over to Rockstar 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 completely new take on the Max Payne series, seeing the titular revenge-driven protagonist shave his head and dive into a much more serious story.
Gone were the comic strips, replaced by a tale of money, murder and shady underhand deals, as Max tracks down two missing women through a haze of hyper-violent gunfights and dramatic monologues. Max Payne 3 may have been a very different vision of the series, but it's gone on to become a cult classic.
Not only Rockstar’s most successful games but one of the most successful media products of all time, Grand Theft Auto 5 was the culmination of Rockstar North’s work and an instant classic. Launching at the end of the Xbox 360 and PS3 lifecycle (and then re-released on the next two console generations), the fifth mainline installment in the franchise saw players take on the roles of Franklin, Michael and Trevor: three career criminals that come together to stage elaborate heists across the city of Los Santos.
Allowing players to jump between all three characters at the push of a button, Grand Theft Auto 5 offered open-world chaos on an unprecedented scale, creating a hyper-detailed city filled with crimes to commit, missions to complete and money to make. In the years since, it’s remained immensely popular, with thousands of players tuning in daily.
Initially acting as a component of Grand Theft Auto 5 before becoming a standalone experience in 2022, Grand Theft Auto Online offers players a live-service take on the world of GTA. Given free rein to cause chaos with friends around Los Santos, players can find missions, PvP matches, races and endless other activities to take part in as they level up their avatar and attempt to become a fixture of the city’s criminal underworld.
L.A Noire: The VR Case Files is exactly what its title suggests: a rendition of some of L.A Noire’s most memorable cases but playable with a VR headset. Remaking seven mysteries for the player to solve, they’ll be able to interact with clues, interrogate witnesses and make arrests while fully immersed in virtual reality.
A sequel to Rockstar San Diego’s smash-hit Red Dead Redemption, Red Dead Redemption 2 acted as a prequel to the original game, telling the story of Dutch Van Der Linde’s gang shortly before it was disbanded. Playing as outlaw Arthur Morgan, Red Dead Redemption 2 acted as one of Rockstar’s most involved storytelling experiences to date, spinning a tale about greed, brotherhood and betrayal set against the backdrop of the American Frontier.
Red Dead Redemption 2 went on to become another hit for Rockstar, with players praising the amazing attention to detail in its vast open-world and superb writing.
Much like with Grand Theft Auto Online, Red Dead Redemption 2’s multiplayer component, Red Dead Online, eventually became a standalone experience after release. Allowing players to create their own outlaw, they are free to explore the American Frontier, join gangs and complete missions, levelling up their cowboy and kitting them out with new gear as they conquer the west.
As for what’s coming next from Rockstar, the company has confirmed two projects in the pipeline: Grand Theft Auto 6 and remakes of Max Payne and Max Payne 2. After years of waiting, Grand Theft Auto 6 was officially confirmed by Rockstar last year, with the publisher revealing in a press release that “active development for the next entry in the Grand Theft Auto series is well underway.”
As for Max Payne, Remedy Entertainment confirmed it was teaming with Rockstar to rebuild the games last year. In an announcement on its official website, the company stated: “Remedy Entertainment, the creators of Max Payne, are pleased to announce that they will remake the iconic Max Payne and Max Payne 2: The Fall of Max Payne video games in a new development agreement with Rockstar Games.”
Callum Williams is a freelance media writer with years of experience as a game critic, news reporter, guides writer and features writer.
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It’s a large publisher that’s explored a lot of different avenues over the years, so let’s take a deep dive into Rockstar’s history and look at all the games its various teams have released so far.
How Many Rockstar Games Are There?
In total, there have been 47 games released by Rockstar. While the label wasn't formed until December 1998, technically its first game launched in 1997, and its most recent hit shelves in 2018. The list below runs through all of these games. It’s worth noting that the list won’t include any DLCs or remasters, although standalone expansions will make the cut.
All Rockstar Games by Release Date
Grand Theft Auto - 1997
Although technically releasing before the studio was acquired by Take-Two Interactive in 1998 and slotted beneath the Rockstar Games banner, DMA Design Limited (which would go on to become Rockstar’s core studio, Rockstar North) dropped arguably one of the most important games of all time: Grand Theft Auto.
A top-down action game where players attempt to make a name as a criminal on the streets of various fictional cities, Grand Theft Auto planted the seeds for one of the industry’s most important franchises. Rockstar Games eventually re-released this crime simulator several times, cementing it within their portfolio and definitively making it Rockstar’s flagship franchise.
Wild Metal Country - 1999
A stop-gap for DMA Design Limited between Grand Theft Auto and its inevitable successor, Wild Metal Country sees players hop into tanks and battle their friends on hostile alien planets. The game wasn’t initially released under the Rockstar banner, with Gremlin Interactive seeing to publishing duties. However, it was re-released for the Dreamcast in 2004 as an official Rockstar-published title.
Monster Truck Madness 64 - 1999
Published by Rockstar and developed by Edge of Reality Games, Monster Truck Madness 64 is exactly what you’d expect from a game that promises both monster trucks and madness. You race big monster trucks around various tracks, attempting to beat your friends in multiplayer or finesse each of its 10 courses in single-player.
Grand Theft Auto 2 - 1999
The first Grand Theft Auto game to officially launch under the Rockstar banner, Grand Theft Auto 2 expanded on the original game’s premise. Shifting the story to the more futuristic setting of Anywhere City, players were tasked with once again making a name for themselves while working for crime syndicates, avoiding the police and making cold hard cash.
Earthworm Jim 3D - 1999
Developed by VIS Interactive and published in North America by Rockstar Games, Earthworm Jim 3D was the third entry in the popular Earthworm Jim franchise. It saw the titular anthropomorphic insect hero get trapped inside his fracturing consciousness, needing to defeat enemies from his past to wake back up. As its title suggests, it took the series to the 3D realm for the first time, following in the footsteps of N64 games like Super 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 Pro Skater, Thrasher Presents: Skate and Destroy was developed by Z-Axis and published by Rockstar. The idea was to skate through 12 stages, working your way up through the skater world and eventually starring in Thrasher magazine. Skate and Destroy focused primarily on physics and a sim-like gameplay style, with the player able to ragdoll and take damage if they fell from their board.
Evel Knievel - 1999
A Gameboy Colour title that casts players as the famous stunt performer of the same name, Evel Knievel was developed by Tarantula Studios (later rebranded as Rockstar Lincoln) and published by Rockstar. The game tasks the player with completing a handful of death-defying stunts atop a bike, with 20 stunts to play through.
Surfing H30 - 2000
A surfing game developed by Opus Corp and published internationally by Rockstar, Surfing H30 sees players take part in surfing tournaments where they try to amass high scores by performing tricks and other stylish surfing maneuvers.
Austin Powers: Oh, Behave! - 2000
Fresh off Evil Knievel, Tarantula Studios took on two Gameboy Colour tie-ins for the revered British spy spoof franchise, Austin Powers. The first of these games was Austin Powers: Oh, Behave, which was a collection of mini-games based on both Austin Powers: International Man of Mystery and Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me. In the game, players take on the role of Austin Powers, reliving certain scenes from the films.
Austin Powers: Welcome to my Underground Lair! - 2000
The second Austin Powers tie-in, Austin Powers: Welcome to My Underground Lair launched on the same day and was a mirrored release of Austin Powers: Oh, Behave. Instead of playing mini-games from the perspective of Austin Powers, you played as his nemesis, Dr Evil. The games were functionally the same, however.
Midnight Club: Street Racing - 2000
One of the first collaborations between Angel Games (later renamed Rockstar San Diego) and Rockstar, Midnight Club: Street Racing transported players to the streets of London and New York, tasking them with winning high-stakes street races to bolster their reputation. Boasting open-world maps that players could drive around freely, it spawned a franchise that fans are still clamoring to see return today.
Smuggler’s Run - 2000
Developed in tandem with Midnight Club: Street Racing, Angel Games’ Smuggler’s Run sees players take control of a smuggler across several open-world levels. Using dune buggies, trucks and other vehicles, you have to evade the law and make your deliveries. It was a success for Rockstar, with the publisher spinning it off into a sequel a year later.
Oni - 2001
Coming from Bungie West and published by Rockstar, Oni is a futuristic sci-fi action game with an anime art style. It centers around Konoko: a special agent who goes rogue after learning her superiors are brewing a sinister plot. Oni focuses primarily on hand-to-hand melee combat, with the player eventually able to engage in gunfights after unlocking ranged weapons throughout the game.
Max Payne - 2001
Although technically published by Gathering of Developers, developer Remedy Entertainment later teamed with Rockstar to port its stylish noir shooter, Max Payne, to other consoles. Taking on the role of the eponymous hero as he seeks answers for his family’s death, Max Payne saw players run through the gritty streets of New York while using the now-iconic bullet time mechanic to kill enemies in slow-motion. Max Payne later became a fixture of Rockstar’s portfolio, with the team taking on full publishing duties for its two sequels.
The Italian Job - 2001
A video game adaptation of the iconic 1969 heist movie of the same name, Pixelogic’s take on The Italian Job was initially published by Sales Curve Interactive in 2001. Rockstar later took on publishing duties in North America, re-releasing the game to US audiences a year later. It was an open-world driving game that saw players set up and complete the movie’s signature heist.
Grand Theft Auto 3 - 2001
Arguably the beginning of Rockstar as we know it today, Grand Theft Auto 3 took the top-down sandbox action of its predecessors and switched it out for a 3D, third-person, open-world shooter, consequently launching the series’ popularity into the stratosphere. Although the game looked different and offered a much more detailed city to explore, it didn’t change the fundamentals of the game.
Playing as revenge-driven criminal Claude as he attempts to track down his former girlfriend and partner-in-crime, Catalina, the game saw players hijack cars, escape the law and generally become a legendary career criminal on the streets of Liberty City. It formed the foundation of the series to come, paving the way for several major sequels and creating an explosion in interest for the open-world sandbox genre.
Smuggler’s Run 2: Hostile Territory - 2001
The sequel to Angel Studios’ Smuggler’s Run, Smuggler’s Run 2: Hostile Territory offered players more of what they liked about the original. Much like before, you play as a smuggler, sneaking cargo across three maps, with a variety of new and returning vehicles to use.
State of Emergency - 2002
A beat-em-up brawler with third-person shooter elements, VIS Entertainment’s State of Emergency saw players join violent riots in a cartoon world. Playing as one of five characters, they had to defeat enemies and complete missions, using melee weapons, guns and explosives to cause chaos.
Grand Theft Auto: Vice City - 2002
The first of many follow-ups to Grand Theft Auto 3, Vice City takes the 3D, open-world chaos of Rockstar North’s last game and lets it loose on the streets of Vice City (GTA’s fictional take on Miami). Set in the 80s, players step into the role of Tommy Verceti, a gangster tasked with infiltrating the underworld crime scene of Vice City after a drug deal gone awry.
Midnight Club 2 - 2003
A sequel to Rockstar San Diego’s street racing hit, Midnight Club 2 gave players new races to conquer on the streets of LA, Paris and Tokyo. Featuring bikes for the first time, the game was a major expansion on its predecessor.
Max Payne 2: The Fall of Max Payne - 2003
The sequel to Remedy Entertainment’s first Max Payne adventure, this time around, Rockstar got full publishing rights. Picking the story back up as Max Payne returns to his job as a member of the New York Police Department, the game offers another gritty string of campaign missions and a variety of stylish, slow-motion shootouts. Max Payne 2 also introduced a second playable protagonist, with players taking on the role of Mona Sax in certain missions.
Manhunt - 2003
Arguably the most controversial franchise Rockstar has ever produced, Rockstar North’s Manhunt cast players as James Earl Cash: a death row inmate forced to participate in disturbing snuff films to win his freedom. Focusing largely on stealth segments and grisly takedowns using makeshift weapons, the game was met with a series of protests against violence in video games, as several British and American politicians called for it to be banned.
Red Dead Revolver - 2004
The beginning of Rockstar’s now-beloved Red Dead series, Rockstar San Diego released its first take on the Western genre in 2004. Titled Red Dead Revolver, it casts players as a bounty hunter named Red in the American Frontier, seeing them defeat enemies across a series of levels. Although Revolver would go on to spawn two infinitely more successful sequels, it was largely quite different to its successors, with no open world to explore and a heavier focus on arcade action over a realistic world and emotional story.
Grand Theft Auto Advance - 2004
Digital Advance’s take on 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 action of old, Advance saw players take on the role of Mike: a Liberty City criminal seeking revenge for the death of his former partner.
See our picks for the best GBA games for more like this.
Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas - 2004
Releasing in tandem with GTA: Advance, Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas was Rockstar North’s next mainline entry in the Grand Theft Auto franchise. Telling the story of former gangster CJ as he returns home to the city of Los Santos, players are treated to the biggest GTA game yet, spanning three cities filled with missions to complete, crime families to battle and chaos to sew. San Andreas went on to become an instant classic, still standing as many fans’ favourite entry to this day.
Midnight Club 3 - 2005
The third entry in Rockstar San Diego’s racing franchise, Midnight Club 3 took players to Atlanta, Detroit and the studio’s home of San Diego. Featuring more street races to complete, it was the biggest Midnight Club experience to date, including the option to customize cars and add new parts.
The Warriors - 2005
Acting as both a prequel to and retelling of the 1979 classic action film of the same name, Rockstar Toronto’s The Warriors was a melee-based beat-em-up following a group of street thugs fleeing to Coney Island while pursued by the police and New York’s most violent gangs. Players can enjoy several story missions where they brawl with other gangs in The Warriors universe, while also getting to learn more about the characters and their lives prior to the events of the movie.
Grand Theft Auto: Liberty City Stories - 2005
The series' second foray into handheld spin-offs, Rockstar North and Rockstar Leeds took the Grand Theft Auto franchise to Sony’s PSP with Liberty City Stories. Following Tony Cipriani before he became involved with Claude in Grand Theft Auto 3, it was an open-world adventure that saw players complete jobs for Don Salvatore Leone.
Rockstar Games Presents Table Tennis - 2006
A radical departure for a publisher that largely dealt in violent action games and sprawling open worlds, Rockstar Games Presents Table Tennis is exactly what it sounds like: a game about ping pong. The company’s first game for the Xbox 360, Rockstar San Diego endeavored to make a realistic simulation of table tennis that acted as something of a tech demo for its new RAGE engine, complete with state-of-the-art graphics for the time.
Bully - 2006
Also known as Canis Canem Edit in Europe, Rockstar Vancouver’s open-world beat-em-up Bully took all the chaotic action of Grand Theft Auto and shifted it to a high school setting. Taking on the role of new kid Jimmy Hopkins as he’s sent to Bullsworth Academy, players find themselves exploring a rundown boarding school with classes to attend, cliques to infiltrate and a lengthy story to play through.
Bully has quickly become one of Rockstar’s most revered games and a legendary cult classic, in spite of the fact its school setting drew heavy controversy upon release. It was later ported to the Xbox 360, Wii and PC under the title Bully: Scholarship Edition.
Grand Theft Auto: Vice City Stories - 2006
The second of Rockstar’s Grand Theft Auto PSP spin-offs, Rockstar North and Rockstar Leeds came together once again to release Grand Theft Auto: Vice City Stories. Acting as a prequel to Vice City, the game followed ex-soldier Vic Vance as he made his name on the streets of the titular metropolis, offering more open-world mayhem on Sony’s signature handheld device.
Manhunt 2 - 2007
With Rockstar North handing the reins over to Rockstar London, Rockstar commissioned a sequel to its highly controversial stealth-focused action game, Manhunt. Manhunt 2 followed new protagonists Daniel Lamb and Leo Kaspar, allowing players to take on the roles of both characters as they once again fought to survive a hyper-violent string of disturbing snuff films.
Grand Theft Auto 4 - 2008
The first iteration of Grand Theft Auto released for the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 generation of consoles, Rockstar North’s Grand Theft Auto 4 returned to the setting of Liberty City, casting players as Niko Bellic. Tasked with finding fortune and revenge on the sprawling metropolis’ streets, the story saw players rise through the ranks of the criminal underworld, offering an exponentially more detailed and expansive open world. It would later spin off into two standalone expansions.
Midnight Club: Los Angeles - 2008
With Rockstar North fully embracing the power of a new generation of consoles in Grand Theft Auto 4, Rockstar San Diego also developed a sequel to one of its most popular franchises using the upgrade in tech. Midnight Club: Los Angeles was the fourth (and currently final) entry in the Midnight Club series. Like the last game, it saw players work their way up to becoming a racing legend, this time cruising through the sunny streets of LA.
Grand Theft Auto 4: The Lost and Damned - 2009
The first of two major expansions for Grand Theft Auto 4, Rockstar North returned to tell the story of Johnny Klebitz: a leader for The Lost MC motorcycle gang that first appeared in the game’s main campaign. Taking place alongside Niko Bellic’s story, The Lost and Damned introduced a whole new story and side activities, seeing players manage the Lost MC and its members.
Grand Theft Auto: Chinatown Wars - 2009
In another handheld collaboration between Rockstar North and Rockstar Leeds, Grand Theft Auto: Chinatown Wars brought the world of Grand Theft Auto to the Nintendo DS. Returning to the top-down style of the first Grand Theft Auto games, players were slotted into the shoes of Huang Lee, helping the Triads cement themselves as a major force in Liberty City.
Beaterator - 2009
A slight change in pace for the company, Rockstar Leeds moved away from Grand Theft Auto ports to create a music mixer for the PSP. Beaterator gave players the ability to create tracks and share them with friends via several different modes. It was later released for iOS devices.
Grand Theft Auto 4: The Ballad of Gay Tony - 2009
The final expansion for Grand Theft Auto 4, Rockstar North returned to the streets of Liberty City one final time for The Ballad of Gay Tony. Telling the story of Luis Lopez, the expansion saw players get stuck into the world of LC’s club scene, helping the titular Gay Tony battle off debt collectors, gangs and rivals. It was once again set alongside the story of the main campaign, tying off several loose ends and officially wrapping up the story.
See our guide to the best GTA characters in the series.
Red Dead Redemption - 2010
Years after the team’s work on Red Dead Revolver, Rockstar San Diego decided to return to the franchise and deliver a sequel, Red Dead Redemption. Arguably one of Rockstar’s most acclaimed games to date, Red Dead Redemption told the story of John Marston: a former outlaw tasked with hunting down his old gang after they left him for dead. Set in the final years of the Wild West, players trek across the American Frontier and Mexico, engaging in intense shootouts, killing outlaws and living the cowboy fantasy.
Red Dead Redemption was an unprecedented hit, becoming an instant classic and transforming Red Dead into a core part of Rockstar’s portfolio due to its emotional storytelling, unflinching and satirical representation of the American West and hard-hitting action setpieces.
Red Dead Redemption: Undead Nightmare - 2010
Returning to the game less than a year later, Rockstar San Diego opted to ring in Halloween by bringing something a little spookier to its latest release. Red Dead Redemption: Undead Nightmare reimagined the American West as a zombie-filled wasteland, telling an alternate universe story where John Marston returned from his mission right as an undead plague descended upon the land. Revisiting multiple characters from the main campaign, Marston has to put iconic enemies back in the grave as well as slaying zombie hordes and mythical creatures.
The expansion is often heralded as one of the best DLCs of all time, offering a fun and surprisingly meaty side campaign to dive into.
L.A Noire - 2011
Collaborating with Team Bondi in 2011, Rockstar published L.A Noire: a detailed detective game where players have to uncover mysteries, interrogate witnesses and take down criminals. L.A Noire puts players in the role of LAPD officer Detective Cole Phelps, who rises through the ranks of the police department while uncovering a sinister conspiracy. Featuring state-of-the-art motion capture technology for the time, it was a technical marvel upon release, even if it has become a fixture of meme culture in the years since.
Max Payne 3 - 2012
With Remedy Entertainment handing the keys of the franchise over to Rockstar 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 completely new take on the Max Payne series, seeing the titular revenge-driven protagonist shave his head and dive into a much more serious story.
Gone were the comic strips, replaced by a tale of money, murder and shady underhand deals, as Max tracks down two missing women through a haze of hyper-violent gunfights and dramatic monologues. Max Payne 3 may have been a very different vision of the series, but it's gone on to become a cult classic.
Grand Theft Auto 5 - 2013
Not only Rockstar’s most successful games but one of the most successful media products of all time, Grand Theft Auto 5 was the culmination of Rockstar North’s work and an instant classic. Launching at the end of the Xbox 360 and PS3 lifecycle (and then re-released on the next two console generations), the fifth mainline installment in the franchise saw players take on the roles of Franklin, Michael and Trevor: three career criminals that come together to stage elaborate heists across the city of Los Santos.
Allowing players to jump between all three characters at the push of a button, Grand Theft Auto 5 offered open-world chaos on an unprecedented scale, creating a hyper-detailed city filled with crimes to commit, missions to complete and money to make. In the years since, it’s remained immensely popular, with thousands of players tuning in daily.
Grand Theft Auto Online - 2013
Initially acting as a component of Grand Theft Auto 5 before becoming a standalone experience in 2022, Grand Theft Auto Online offers players a live-service take on the world of GTA. Given free rein to cause chaos with friends around Los Santos, players can find missions, PvP matches, races and endless other activities to take part in as they level up their avatar and attempt to become a fixture of the city’s criminal underworld.
L.A Noire: The VR Case Files - 2017
L.A Noire: The VR Case Files is exactly what its title suggests: a rendition of some of L.A Noire’s most memorable cases but playable with a VR headset. Remaking seven mysteries for the player to solve, they’ll be able to interact with clues, interrogate witnesses and make arrests while fully immersed in virtual reality.
Red Dead Redemption 2 - 2018
A sequel to Rockstar San Diego’s smash-hit Red Dead Redemption, Red Dead Redemption 2 acted as a prequel to the original game, telling the story of Dutch Van Der Linde’s gang shortly before it was disbanded. Playing as outlaw Arthur Morgan, Red Dead Redemption 2 acted as one of Rockstar’s most involved storytelling experiences to date, spinning a tale about greed, brotherhood and betrayal set against the backdrop of the American Frontier.
Red Dead Redemption 2 went on to become another hit for Rockstar, with players praising the amazing attention to detail in its vast open-world and superb writing.
Red Dead Online - 2018
Much like with Grand Theft Auto Online, Red Dead Redemption 2’s multiplayer component, Red Dead Online, eventually became a standalone experience after release. Allowing players to create their own outlaw, they are free to explore the American Frontier, join gangs and complete missions, levelling up their cowboy and kitting them out with new gear as they conquer the west.
Upcoming Rockstar Games
As for what’s coming next from Rockstar, the company has confirmed two projects in the pipeline: Grand Theft Auto 6 and remakes of Max Payne and Max Payne 2. After years of waiting, Grand Theft Auto 6 was officially confirmed by Rockstar last year, with the publisher revealing in a press release that “active development for the next entry in the Grand Theft Auto series is well underway.”
As for Max Payne, Remedy Entertainment confirmed it was teaming with Rockstar to rebuild the games last year. In an announcement on its official website, the company stated: “Remedy Entertainment, the creators of Max Payne, are pleased to announce that they will remake the iconic Max Payne and Max Payne 2: The Fall of Max Payne video games in a new development agreement with Rockstar 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 writer with years of experience as a game critic, news reporter, guides writer and features writer.
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