Rockstar North

Credits

Descriptions by
LogosForTheWin, EnormousRat and Chow Woon Gan

Captures by
EnormousRat

Video captures courtesy of
MartinIgna SalasV, lorelei kaworu, Broken Saw, Rockstar Nexus and CostlyFall7064

Background

In 1999, Take-Two Interactive, owners of Rockstar Games acquired DMA Design from Infogrames for $11 million. In 2002, they were renamed first to Rockstar Studios and then to its current name, Rockstar North to continue developing games in the Grand Theft Auto franchise.

1st Logo (GTA III variant) (May 21, 2002)

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Visuals: Continuing directly from the Rockstar Games logo, and on the same black background as that logo is the Rockstar Games logo (an "R" with a star attached to it) in a light blue color with a bunch of white dots surrounding its outline. It spins around two times, then zooms back. A blue box appears around the logo, the "R" turns black (with a white outline), and the star turns white (with a black outline).

Variants:

• An alternate variant exists, in which the logo has the text "ROCKSTAR NORTH" below the logo.
• An enhanced widescreen version exists.

Technique: CGI by Blur Studio.

Audio: The background energy humming, continuing from the Rockstar Games logo animation.

Availability: Seen on the PS2 (post-2001 releases), PC and Xbox versions of Grand Theft Auto III, while the alternate variant is found on the Japanese version. Additionally, an enhanced widescreen version exists in Grand Theft Auto III: The Definitive Edition.

2nd Logo (GTA: Vice City variant) (October 29, 2002)

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Visuals: The famous Commodore 64 menu is seen, with "**** ROCKSTAR NORTH ****" at the top, "READY." below it, and a blinking insertion point below that. The insertion point types "LOAD "VICE CITY"" and "PRESS PLAY ON TAPE" appears. The menu disappears for a brief moment, and then reappears, with "OK" below "PRESS PLAY ON TAPE" and the text "SEARCHING" and "FOUND VICE CITY". The menu disappears again, and the background changes to a bunch of rapidly changing multicolored lines. A white rectangle with the Rockstar North logo and a black oval reading "NORTH" below it then appears, and stays on screen for about six seconds.

Trivia: The use of the Commodore 64 interface references the game being set in the year 1986 and especially on how the Commodore 64 was more popular across Europe (including the UK, where this game was made) than the US.

Variants:

• An alternate variant exists, in which is further detail on Rockstar Games' logo variants article.
• An enhanced widescreen version exists, in which the Commodore 64 menu and the white rectangle are wider.

Technique: 2D digital animation.

Audio: Typing sounds when "LOAD "VICE CITY"" is typed, the sound of something being inserted when the menu disappears the first time, the sound of a key being typed when the menu disappears the second time, and an 8-bit tune based on the original GTA theme played on a 8580 SID chip when the Rockstar North logo is on screen.

Audio Trivia: If one listens closely, the song "Video Killed the Radio Star" by The Buggles plays faintly throughout. It can also be heard in full when listening to one of the game's radio stations, Flash FM.

Availability: Seen on Grand Theft Auto: Vice City for PS2, PC and Xbox. Additionally, an enhanced widescreen version exists in Grand Theft Auto: Vice City: The Definitive Edition.

3rd Logo (Manhunt variant) (November 19, 2003)

Visuals: Superimposed over the opening of the game, there is the Rockstar North logo with white magnets above and below it. "A" in black is on the top magnet, while "ROCKSTAR NORTH GAME", also in black, is on the bottom magnets. The logo "flickers" a few times, and then fades out.

Technique: 2D digital animation.

Audio: The opening theme of the game, accompanied by static sounds.

Availability: Seen on Manhunt for PC, PS2 and Xbox.

4th Logo (GTA: San Andreas variant) (October 26, 2004)

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Visuals: Over a black background, there is the Rockstar North logo being drawn onto the screen with an invisible marker, along with a registered trademark. "rockstar north" in the "San Andreas" font appears below, a white outline appears around the "R", and the star turns white. After a few seconds, the outline of the "R", the star and the name fade out, leaving the blue part intact.

Variant: An enhanced widescreen version exists.

Technique: 2D digital animation.

Audio: The sound of a marker's lid "popping" off, and a few "scribble" sounds.

Availability: Seen on Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas for PC, PS2, and Xbox. Additionally, an enhanced widescreen version exists in Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas: The Definitive Edition.

5th Logo (GTA: Liberty City Stories variant) (October 25, 2005)

Visuals: A couple of police cars come right with a siren sound, coming through the logo-shaped hole. They leave the Rockstar North logo behind with the blue words "ROCKSTAR NORTH" below. A registered trademark is displayed at the bottom-right of the logo.

Variant: A widescreen version exists.

Technique: 2D digital animation.

Audio: Engine sounds, as well as siren sounds from police cars, followed by a metal slam at the end.

Availability: Seen on Grand Theft Auto: Liberty City Stories for PS2 and PSP (in widescreen).

6th Logo (GTA: Vice City Stories variant) (October 31, 2006)

Visuals: The Rockstar North logo fades in on a black background, with the company's name in the "Vice City" font appearing below the logo. The blue of the box then gets wiped away with white, segueing into the Rockstar Leeds logo variant, followed by the Rockstar Games logo variant.

Variant: A widescreen version exists.

Technique: 2D digital animation.

Audio: The game's main theme is faintly heard, and spray sounds can be heard when the logo gets wiped away.

Availability: Seen on Grand Theft Auto: Vice City Stories for PS2 and PSP (in widescreen).

7th Logo (GTA IV and Episodes from Liberty City variant) (April 29, 2008-October 29, 2009)

Visuals: On a black background, the Rockstar North logo zooms out and fades out.

Technique: 2D digital animation.

Audio: The music used on the game's respective intro or silence.

Availability: Seen on Grand Theft Auto IV and Episodes from Liberty City (The Lost and Damned and The Ballad of Gay Tony).

8th Logo (GTA: Chinatown Wars variant) (March 17, 2009)

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  Nintendo DS
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  PSP

Visuals:

• DS: When the briefcase (which has the Rockstar Games logo printed on it) opens, it reveals that inside the briefcase has the Rockstar North logo above and several bags of money below. The bags later pop out as several cash pop in one-by-one above, which reveals the Rockstar Leeds logo below.
• PSP: The Rockstar Games logo is seen, before a train passes by and transitions into the Rockstar North logo, before the Rockstar Leeds logo follows.

Technique: CGI for the PSP variant, and 2D sprite-based animation for the DS variant.

Audio:

• DS: The sound of the briefcase opening, followed by a whoosh for every package that pops out and the sound of the cash rolling when the cash appears.
• PSP: Train sounds.

Availability: Seen on Grand Theft Auto: Chinatown Wars.

9th Logo (GTA V variant) (September 17, 2013)

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Visuals: As the Rockstar Games logo slides away from the screen during the variant, the Rockstar North logo appears sliding in from the right while flashing in slightly. It then slides away, as the blurry flashing lights disappear.

Technique: CGI.

Audio: Continuing from the Rockstar Games logo variant, none.

Availability: Seen on Grand Theft Auto V.

◄ DMA Design

Rockstar North