Rockstar Games is a video game publisher and developer known for the controversial and commercially successful Grand Theft Auto series. It was founded in 1998 by former employees of BMG Interactive after that company was acquired by Take-Two Interactive. Rockstar Games was established to be a "cool" and hip gaming label that appealed to audiences interested in popular culture, unlike other gaming companies at the time. Their first major success was Grand Theft Auto, developed by DMA Design, which became a commercial hit in 1998 despite its controversial adult content. This established Rockstar's reputation and strategy of using provocative marketing to attract mature audiences.

1. ROCKSTAR GAMES
Why would a games company want to call
themselves Rockstar?
TASK: What words do you associate with this
word? tinyurl.com/rockstarword

2. Rockstar Games
• Games publisher and developer.
• Established in 1998 by five Brits.
• Subsidiary of US game publishers Take
Two.
• Headquarters in New York
• Most famous by the Grand Theft Auto
series.

3. How it was formed
• BMG (Bertelsmann Music Group) created a
games publishing division called BMG
Interactive.
Pandemonium 2 for the
PlayStation (1997)
Three Lions for the
PlayStation (1998)

4. Grand Theft Auto
• Released for the PC in
1997 and PS in 1998
• Developed by DMA
Design
• City based, top down
action game that gave the
player real freedom
• Controversial content
used to sell the game
• Sold 1 million

5. GTA’s Significance
• Ground breaking
freedom
• Adult content and 18
certificate - designed
for ‘mature gamer’
• Provocative marketing
• BMG’s Interactive
most successful game
• BMG’s IP.

6. • 1998 - BMG sell Interactive division to
New York games publishers Take Two
Interactive.
• BMG Interactive employees Sam Houser,
Dan Houser, Jamie King, Terry Donovan
and Gary Foreman pitch the idea of creating
‘cool’ gaming publishing label.
• Rockstar Games created in 1998.
• Described as Take Two’s ‘high-end video
game publishing division’.

7. The big idea
• “Above all, I wanted to start a label for the
games industry like the labels you saw in
the record industry. At that time, games
were positioned as either toys or bits of
technology. But I was interested in a hip,
happening label, more about lifestyle, not
toys or technology. A valid form of
entertainment. Take-Two said off you go.”
Sam Houser, 2000

8. Sam Houser
• Founding member and
President of Rockstar
• Born 1972
• Join BMG record
group at 17
• Worked in A&R and • Applied skills learnt
Marketing in the recording
• Join BMG Interactive industry in the games
industry
• Worked on original • Obsessed with
Grand Theft Auto details

9. The plan
• Make a games brand that was ‘cool’
• Create games that would appeal to wider
audience - people with interest in films,
music and popular culture
• Deliver integrity between design, product
and marketing.
• Apply development and marketing
strategies used in other areas of
entertainment

10. Rockstar North

11. DMA Design
• Established in 1988 in Dundee to make
games for the Amiga
• First success space called Blood Money
• Huge success with Lemmings – sold 20
million units on 21 different formats
• Made Uni-racers for N64, caught attention
of Nintendo.
• Developed Body Harvest for N64 launch.

12. Race N Chase
• Top down, city based cops and robbers
game
• Became Grand Theft Auto and was
published by BMG Interactive
• Gremlin bought DMA, who were then
themselve bought out by Infogrames but
due to BMG link, DMA weren’t part of the
deal

13. GTA 2 and beyond
• Released GTA: London 1969 in 1999 followed by
GTA 2 which sold 2 million copies.
• Developed and released GTA 3 as DMA Design
• After the successful release of GTA 3 Rockstar
Game bought DMA, renamed them Rockstar
North and moved the studios to Edinburgh

14. Student Case Study
• In pairs, choose a game from the Rockstar
catalogue (not GTAIV) and begin your own
case study.
• Include information on the production,
marketing, distribution and consumption of
this game.

15. Things to include:
• Where it was developed (which Rockstar division), what
were the cultural influences/references? Dates it was
released and on what consoles?
• How it was marketed? Look at the posters, cover art and
trailers and analyse them in the context of Rockstar’s
reputation for provocative marketing. Is there a website for
the game, what kind of things are on the website? Is there a
relationship between this and other brands?
• How it was distributed and previewed. Where was it made
available? Online only or in shops? Are there gameplay
previews?
• How it was received by critics and gamers? Look for
games reviews and pick out some key quotes regarding the
games USP. Who is the target audience and how can you
tell? How many units did it sell and how much money has
it made Rockstar?
Work in pairs and construct a Powerpoint to be presented