Video Games Deluxe founder Brendan McNamara is set to join Rockstar after the company acquires the studio. According to Business Wire, Rockstar plans to change Video Games Deluxe’s name to Rockstar Australia. The two companies have worked together before, producing games such as the re-release of L.A. Noire and Grand Theft Auto: The Trilogy. Although this may seem like good news, many fans are not happy with this development.
Video Games Deluxe was founded in 2013 by McNamara, the founder and former creative director of Team Bondi. Before being acquired by Rockstar, the studio worked on L.A. Noire: The VR Case Files.
Although McNamara has various titles under his belt, many fans aren’t very fond of him due to allegations of a toxic workplace and crunch culture that were prominent at Team Bondi. While the original L.A. Noire was a huge success, the studio was shut down less than a year after the game’s release.
As if that wasn’t bad enough, there is also the issue of 100 Team Bondi staff members not being credited in the game’s credits. Apparently, they were excluded because they were not working during the final month before the game’s release. However, that doesn’t change the fact that these individuals had worked on L.A. Noire for many months prior.
A Dark Stain
Although this incident occurred more than a decade ago, many fans still remember the scandal vividly. That is why some express their dissatisfaction upon hearing this news. Many do not want McNamara to rejoin Rockstar, believing that he will bring the terrible crunch culture to the company.
“Wasn’t that guy notoriously one of the worst bosses in the industry, and didn’t everyone hate working for him?” one Redditor commented. Another expressed their surprise, saying that they didn’t expect Video Games Deluxe to last this long since they believe McNamara is a terrible manager.
One Redditor claimed the reason McNamara is rejoining Rockstar is due to his connection with Rockstar’s president, Sam Houser. This claim is based on an interview where McNamara stated that he had known Houser for many years. “We were both in it when Sam was an A&R [Artist & Repertoire] guy at BMG Records, and they started the BMG Interactive division, which was trying to do some games and that kind of stuff…” McNamara said.
“Shameless, considering Sam brought him back despite all of the allegations about the work environment over the years,” the Redditor continued. “It comes across to me that Sam Houser is the problem.” Many simply expressed their deep dislike toward McNamara, with one fan writing, “The guy who said he can yell at his employees? F that guy.”
