Rockstar Vancouver is widely recognized as a company that developed some of the most renowned video games, writes Vancouver Future. It operated as a subsidiary of Rockstar Games. Among its most famous creations are Bully and Max Payne 3.
In this article, based on information from rockstarvancouver.com, we take a closer look at the history of Rockstar Vancouver.
Early Projects
Founded in 1998 under the name Barking Dog Studios, the company was established by Brian Thalken and other employees who had previously worked at Radical Entertainment.
The company’s journey began with the development of Homeworld: Cataclysm, a real-time strategy game set in a sci-fi universe.
Their second project became the globally renowned game Counter-Strike. Barking Dog’s contribution involved creating maps for the game, which originated as a mod for Half-Life.
Interestingly, one of the many Counter-Strike maps features an image of a dog caricature on a train car. Players who crawl under the train can even hear a dog barking.
Multiple Milestones in One Year
In 2002, the company released its third video game, Global Operations. This team-based shooter bore some resemblance to Counter-Strike but focused heavily on multiplayer battles.
Later that year, in August 2002, Barking Dog Studios was acquired by Rockstar Games, subsequently renamed Rockstar Vancouver. In November 2002, the company also released the strategic game Treasure Planet.
Controversial Game
In 2006, Rockstar Vancouver released its first game under the new name: Bully for PlayStation 2.
The game follows the story of Jimmy Hopkins, a troubled teenager attending Bullworth Academy after being expelled from seven previous schools. Jimmy’s main objectives are to adapt to his new school environment, connect with classmates, and ultimately become the leader of all the school factions.
However, Bully sparked significant controversy, as critics accused the developers of promoting school violence.
For instance, the game was outright banned in Brazil, where its distribution incurs heavy fines.
In 2008, Rockstar Vancouver released an updated edition of Bully, featuring improved graphics and numerous new additions. This version introduced new classes to Jimmy’s curriculum and was co-developed with Rockstar New England.
Despite Bully receiving high praise from players, its PlayStation 2 sales were insufficient to warrant a sequel. Nevertheless, rumors of a sequel persisted. Composer Shawn Lee even stated that he would be working on the soundtrack for Bully 2.
The Final Project
The company’s final project was the third-person shooter Max Payne 3.
The first two installments of the Max Payne series were developed by Finnish company Remedy Entertainment. The development of Max Payne 3 spanned several years, with multiple delays pushing its release date.
Finally, the game launched on May 15, 2012.
Ceasing Operations
On July 9, 2012, Rockstar Vancouver announced its merger with another Rockstar Games subsidiary, Rockstar Toronto.
This merger marked the end of Rockstar Vancouver as an independent entity, effectively ceasing the release of games under its name.
At the time of the merger, Rockstar Vancouver employed a team of 35 employees.