Overview
Rockstar North is the Edinburgh-based development studio responsible for the Grand Theft Auto series. Originally founded as DMA Design in Dundee (1988), the company created Lemmings before pioneering open-world crime games with the original GTA (1997). Acquired by Take-Two in 1999 and rebranded as Rockstar North in 2001, it became one of gaming’s most influential studios.
Fast Facts
| Aspect |
Detail |
| Founded |
2001 (as Rockstar North) |
| Previously |
DMA Design (1988-2001) |
| Location |
Edinburgh, Scotland |
| Parent |
Rockstar Games / Take-Two |
| Founders |
David Jones, Russell Kay (DMA) |
The DMA Design Era
| Year |
Title |
Significance |
| 1991 |
Lemmings |
Global phenomenon |
| 1993 |
Lemmings 2 |
Expanded formula |
| 1997 |
Grand Theft Auto |
Open-world crime |
| 1999 |
GTA 2 |
Refined formula |
The Rockstar Era
| Year |
Title |
Achievement |
| 2001 |
GTA III |
3D open world |
| 2002 |
GTA: Vice City |
1980s setting |
| 2004 |
GTA: San Andreas |
Massive scope |
| 2008 |
GTA IV |
HD generation |
| 2013 |
GTA V |
Best-selling entertainment product |
| Person |
Role |
| David Jones |
DMA founder, left 1999 |
| Mike Dailly |
Lemmings co-creator |
| Leslie Benzies |
President until 2016 |
| Sam Houser |
Rockstar co-founder, creative lead |
From Dundee to Edinburgh
DMA Design moved from Dundee to Edinburgh as the team grew. The Dundee connection remained significant—the city’s game development scene partly exists because DMA proved world-class games could come from Scotland.
Impact
| Contribution |
Result |
| Open-world design |
Defined the genre |
| Mature content |
Expanded gaming’s scope |
| Production values |
Raised industry standards |
| Scottish games industry |
Proved UK talent outside London |
Legacy
Rockstar North demonstrated that a Scottish studio could create the best-selling entertainment products of all time. GTA V’s $6 billion in revenue makes it more commercially successful than any film, album, or book in history.
See Also