Rockstar Toronto (Rockstar Games Toronto ULC; formerlyImagexcel,Alternative Reality Technologies, andRockstar Canada) is a Canadianvideo game developer and a studio ofRockstar Games based inOakville, Ontario. The company was established as Imagexcel in the early 1980s and developed more than fifteen games under that name, includingQuarantine, which was published byGameTek in 1994. The publisher bought the studio's assets through its Alternative Reality Technologies subsidiary in March 1995 and then sold Alternative Reality Technologies toTake-Two Interactive in July 1997. The studio became part of Take-Two's Rockstar Games label as Rockstar Canada in 1999 and was renamed Rockstar Toronto in 2002 when Take-Two acquiredRockstar Vancouver. Under Rockstar Games, the studio developed the 2005 gameThe Warriors, based onthe 1979 film of the same name, as well as severalports, including theWindows versions ofGrand Theft Auto IV,Grand Theft Auto: Episodes from Liberty City,Max Payne 3, andGrand Theft Auto V. In July 2012, Rockstar Vancouver was merged into Rockstar Toronto, which then moved into larger offices.
Rockstar Toronto was established as Imagexcel in the early 1980s, "before the time ofHe-Man".[1][2] The studio developed roughly fifteen games across multiple systems until 1995.[1] It began developing a proprietarygame engine in 1993, as well as a complementary game in collaboration withGameTek in December that year.Rod Humble, as GameTek'sexecutive producer, initially wrote a script titledBloods that revolved aroundgang warfare. When the company sent a revision thereof to Imagexcel, the studio reworked the concept into what becameQuarantine. Humble considered the new version a "far superior game".[3] In October 1994, Imagexcel comprisedprogrammer andmanaging partner Kevin Hoare, programmers Ed Zolnieryk and Andy Brownbill, andartists Greg Bick andRay Larabie.[1][3] GameTek released the game in the same month.[3] On 9 March 1995, the publisher announced its acquisition of Imagexcel's assets through a newly founded subsidiary, Alternative Reality Technologies. The transaction includedQuarantine's engine, which GameTek intended to use in other games. Hoare, Zolnieryk, Bick, and Larabie formed the core of GameTek's Canadian development operations.[1][4] After the acquisition, the studio was also referred to as GameTek Canada.[5]
In July 2012, Rockstar Games announced Rockstar Toronto would be moving into larger, custom-built offices withinOakville, Ontario. Rockstar Vancouver was merged into Rockstar Toronto and the former's thirty-five employees were given the option to relocate to Rockstar Toronto or any other Rockstar Games studio.[21][22] TheGovernment of Ontario contributedCA$2 million to this expansion.[23] Jennifer Kolbe, Rockstar Games'vice-president of publishing and operations, stated creating a single Canadian team that would "make for a powerful creative force on future projects" while making room for fifty new positions at the studio.[24][25] In November 2012, Rockstar Toronto's legal entity, Rockstar Toronto Inc., was transitioned fromOntario toBritish Columbia as Rockstar Games Toronto Inc. and then transformed to Rockstar Games Toronto ULC, anunlimited liability corporation.[26][27]
Rockstar Toronto later portedGrand Theft Auto V to Windows. This version was initially scheduled to be released alongside thePlayStation 4 andXbox One versions in 2014. The port was delayed to April 2015, which the studio attributed tooptimizations and the integration of a built-invideo editor, which is exclusive to this release. Rockstar Games referred to the Windows port as the game's "ultimate" edition.[28][29] On 24 December 2020,CA$66,000 worth of newly delivered computer equipment and accessories were stolen from Rockstar Toronto's offices. The incident was the first in a string of robberies in Oakville that continued until 23 January 2021. The suspect, a 30-year-old woman, was arrested on 25 January.[30][31]
^"Home". Rockstar Canada. Archived fromthe original on 29 April 2001.Rockstar Games Canada has been in the videogame busines for more than several years ; Since before the time of He-Man™.
^"Studio". Rockstar Toronto. Archived fromthe original on 18 March 2009.The team responsible for the cult classics Road Warrior and Quarantine joined the Rockstar family in 1999.
