Skip to main content

L.A. Noire developer shuts down for good

It has been a tumultuous year for Team Bondi, filled with some very high highs, and some very low lows. After nearly seven years spent in development, this May the results of years of work was finally released, and L.A. Noire was an immediate hit. Using facial animation technology in a new way, Team Bondi created a game that took existing gaming styles of gameplay and turned them on their head. L.A. Noire has sold close to two million copies worldwide, and both the game and the developer were applauded. Then the criticisms began.

It began when problems between Team Bondi and publisher Rockstar came to light. Rockstar had considered incorporating Team Bondi into its family and rebranding them as Rockstar Sydney, but then tensions between Team Bondi founder Brendan McNamara and Rockstar execs flared, and the publisher publicly refused to continue working with the developer. Fair or not, McNamara received the bulk of the blame for the deteriorating relationship, and that impression was further fueled by several current and former Team Bondi employees coming forth and claiming that the working conditions violated several legal and ethical rules. Over 100 developers were said to be excluded from the final credits as well.

Recommended Videos

There were defenders of Team Bondi, but the damage had already been done, and the loss of Rockstar as a partner became an insurmountable obstacle. Rumors of bankruptcy began to fly, and then a last minute save from George Miller’s KMM Studios seemed to be in the works.

Those negotiations ended up going nowhere, and now Gamasutra is reporting that papers filed with the Australian Securities and Investment Commission reveal that Team Bondi is in the process of fully shutting down.

L.A. Noire was originally planned as the first game in a potential franchise, utilizing the motion capture technology. The question now becomes, what happens to the property? Even without Team Bondi, the possible series-in-them-making has the potential to remain a lucrative one, and Take Two–Rockstar’s parent company and IP holder–isn’t likely to let a successful series die along with its developer.

Ryan Fleming
Former Digital Trends Contributor
Ryan Fleming is the Gaming and Cinema Editor for Digital Trends. He joined the DT staff in 2009 after spending time covering…
The HP Victus 15, a budget-friendly gaming laptop, is even more affordable — $350 off
HP Victus 15 front view showing display and keyboard deck.

If you're looking for affordable gaming laptop deals that still provide solid performance, you can't go wrong with the HP Victus 15. The original price of $1,170 for this configuration with the Nvidia GeForce RTX 4050 graphics card already provides amazing value, but you can currently buy it with a $350 discount from Best Buy, which brings its price down to just $820. Time is probably already running out on this offer, so you need to be quick in completing your purchase of this gaming laptop to secure the savings.

Why you should buy the HP Victus 15 gaming laptop

Read more
Sunderfolk redefines how to play a strategy game by taking cues from Jackbox
Key art for Sunderfolk

Sunderfolk is redefining how to play a strategy RPG game in the same way that the Jackbox Party Pack games redefined what a party game could be.

Ever since it was announced last fall, Sunderfolk's creative approach to this genre has garnered my attention. It's a cooperative strategy RPG inspired by tabletop games, but it's not controlled with a standard console controller. Instead, players connect their phones to Sunderfolk via a mobile app and control the game that way. By taking this approach, Sunderfolk taps into the magic of playing tabletop games together in a way few games do.

Read more
The HP Victus gaming PC with RTX 4060 is under $1,000 with this deal
The black version of the HP Victus 15L gaming PC.

Replacing your aging gaming desktop doesn't have to leave a huge dent in your wallet, as there are affordable options like the HP Victus 15L. The price for this configuration with the Nvidia GeForce RTX 4060 graphics card is even lower right now, following a $350 discount from HP. Instead of $1,200, you'll only have to pay $850, but only if you hurry because this offer may not last much longer. A lot of gamers are looking for a budget-friendly upgrade from gaming PC deals, so secure your purchase as soon as possible before stocks run out.

Why you should buy the HP Victus 15L gaming desktop

Read more