Grove Street Games, the developer forever associated with the disastrous launch of Grand Theft Auto: The Trilogy – The Definitive Edition, is working on an unannounced game scheduled for release in 2026 [web:149][web:154]. The Florida-based studio appears on a list of developers with upcoming PS5 and Xbox Series X/S projects, sparking immediate speculation about what they might be working on and whether Rockstar Games is involved after their very public falling out last year.
The Rockstar Relationship Is Probably Dead
Any speculation that Grove Street Games might be working on another Rockstar project needs to consider the dramatic breakdown in their relationship [web:140][web:142]. In November 2024, Rockstar released a massive update for the GTA Trilogy that fixed hundreds of bugs and added quality-of-life improvements. The update was welcomed by players who had suffered through the broken 2021 release, but it came with a twist – Rockstar completely scrubbed Grove Street Games from the splash screens and main menu [web:139][web:143].
Thomas Williamson, CEO of Grove Street Games, responded with barely concealed anger. Speaking “entirely hypothetically,” he tweeted that it’s a “dick move” to remove primary developers from credits in an update, especially when that update includes hundreds of fixes provided by those same developers that were kept from players for years [web:139][web:153]. While Grove Street Games remains in the end credits, the removal from prominent positions sent a clear message about how Rockstar views the partnership.
What Went Wrong With GTA Trilogy
The GTA Trilogy: The Definitive Edition launched in November 2021 to immediate and overwhelming criticism [web:139]. The remaster of GTA III, Vice City, and San Andreas was supposed to bring these classics to modern platforms with visual upgrades and quality-of-life improvements. Instead, players discovered a nightmare of bugs, graphical glitches, missing features, and bizarre AI upscaling artifacts that left character models looking worse than the originals [web:148].
Dataminers quickly discovered evidence suggesting Grove Street Games had used mobile versions of the games as the foundation for the remasters, applied AI upscaling with minimal quality control, and rushed the release [web:149]. Developer comments were found in the code, unlicensed music tracks appeared that should have been removed, and the whole project felt like it had been assembled under impossible time pressure with inadequate resources [web:148].
The Blame Game
While Grove Street Games bore the brunt of player anger, the situation was more complicated than it appeared. According to Reddit discussions, Rockstar shares responsibility for the disaster [web:149]. The project scope was massive – remastering three open-world games simultaneously – while the timeline was far too tight for a relatively small development team to handle properly. Grove Street Games had approximately 35-40 employees when the project launched, hardly the workforce needed for such an ambitious undertaking.
Reports suggest Rockstar delayed patches that Grove Street Games had developed until after the mobile version launched, then switched development teams entirely [web:149]. The November 2024 update that fixed so many issues was handled by Video Games Deluxe, an Australian studio that Rockstar subsequently acquired and renamed Rockstar Australia [web:141]. This studio had handled the mobile ports and was brought in to clean up the console versions after Grove Street’s work was deemed insufficient.
| Event | Date | Impact |
|---|---|---|
| GTA Trilogy Launch | November 2021 | Immediate criticism for bugs and poor quality |
| Rockstar Acquires Video Games Deluxe | March 2025 | Renamed Rockstar Australia, takes over trilogy updates |
| Major Trilogy Update | November 2024 | Hundreds of fixes, Grove Street removed from splash screen |
| CEO Public Response | November 2024 | Thomas Williamson calls removal a “dick move” |
| Unannounced Project | 2026 | Grove Street working on new PS5/Xbox game |
What Could the New Project Be?
Given the destroyed relationship with Rockstar, the mystery 2026 project is almost certainly not a GTA IV remaster or any other Rockstar property [web:149]. Some Reddit users initially speculated about GTA IV given Grove Street’s history, but commenters quickly pointed out that this seems extremely unlikely after the public falling out. If Rockstar were planning a GTA IV remaster, they’d probably assign it to their newly acquired Rockstar Australia or another trusted partner.
A more probable scenario involves Grove Street returning to what they’ve been doing successfully – porting existing games to new platforms. The studio has worked extensively on Ark: Survival Evolved, handling the mobile port of Ark: Ultimate Survival Edition and co-developing Survival: Ascended’s console port [web:142]. Their social media follows official Ark accounts rather than Rockstar, suggesting ongoing work in that franchise.
Grove Street’s Port Specialty
Before the GTA Trilogy disaster, Grove Street Games (formerly War Drum Studios) built a reputation as a competent porting house [web:150]. They handled mobile conversions of GTA titles, PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 ports, and various other platform adaptations. The company rebranded as Grove Street Games in August 2020, adopting the name from Gainesville’s Grove Street neighborhood where the company is based – and of course, the iconic street from GTA San Andreas [web:150].
The studio has grown to be what their website describes as “a leader in the industry by taking smart risks and fostering creativity to deliver some of the world’s greatest games” [web:152]. While that claim might ring hollow to anyone who played the GTA Trilogy at launch, it’s worth noting that most of their previous work was competent if unremarkable. The trilogy appears to have been a perfect storm of too much ambition, too little time, and insufficient support from the publisher.
Learning From Disaster
If there’s a silver lining to the GTA Trilogy debacle, it’s that the situation has raised awareness about preservation and remastering challenges in the gaming industry. Players often emphasize the importance of keeping classic consoles and original versions of games, since publishers frequently show little genuine interest in properly preserving these titles [web:149]. When remaster efforts fail as spectacularly as the GTA Trilogy, it reinforces the value of maintaining access to original releases.
The situation also highlighted how even legendary franchises like GTA aren’t immune to botched remasters when development is rushed or under-resourced. IGN gave the collection a 5/10, calling it “defective, disappointing, and surprisingly disrespectful to three classic games and their many legions of fans” [web:139]. That harsh but accurate assessment reflected the disappointment of players who had been eagerly anticipating proper modern versions of these beloved classics.
Moving Forward
Whatever Grove Street Games is working on for 2026, they’ll be operating with the GTA Trilogy shadow hanging over them. The project will need to be exceptionally polished to rebuild trust with players who remember the disaster. The fact that they’re developing for current-generation hardware (PS5 and Xbox Series X/S) suggests they’re not being asked to perform miracles with outdated technology, which should help avoid some of the technical constraints that plagued the trilogy.
The studio’s continued work on Ark ports suggests they’ve maintained relationships with other publishers willing to trust them with significant projects. Studio Wildcard apparently had enough confidence in Grove Street to assign them console and mobile work for their flagship franchise, indicating that not every publisher sees them as radioactive after the Rockstar situation.
FAQs About Grove Street Games’ Unannounced Project
What is Grove Street Games working on in 2026?
Grove Street Games has an unannounced title scheduled for release in 2026 on PS5 and Xbox Series X/S. The specific game has not been revealed, but given the studio’s falling out with Rockstar Games, it’s almost certainly not a Grand Theft Auto related project.
Is Grove Street Games still working with Rockstar?
No, the relationship appears to have ended badly. Rockstar removed Grove Street Games from the GTA Trilogy splash screens in November 2024, and CEO Thomas Williamson publicly criticized the move. Rockstar has since worked with other studios for trilogy updates and acquired Video Games Deluxe (now Rockstar Australia) to handle future work.
What happened with the GTA Trilogy Definitive Edition?
The GTA Trilogy launched in November 2021 with severe bugs, graphical glitches, and quality issues that led to widespread criticism. Grove Street Games developed the remasters under tight time constraints with a small team. The trilogy was eventually fixed through updates handled by other developers after Rockstar ended its relationship with Grove Street.
Why did Rockstar remove Grove Street Games from the credits?
Rockstar removed Grove Street Games from the splash screens and main menu in a November 2024 update, though the studio remains in the end credits. This appears to be Rockstar’s way of distancing itself from the problematic 2021 launch while acknowledging the studio’s technical contribution.
Could Grove Street Games be working on a GTA IV remaster?
This is extremely unlikely given the public falling out between Grove Street Games and Rockstar. If Rockstar plans a GTA IV remaster, they would almost certainly assign it to Rockstar Australia or another trusted development partner rather than returning to Grove Street.
What other games has Grove Street Games worked on?
Grove Street Games (formerly War Drum Studios) has worked on mobile ports of GTA games, Ark: Ultimate Survival Edition mobile port, Ark: Survival Ascended console port, and various platform conversions. They specialized in porting and remastering work before the GTA Trilogy project.
Is Grove Street Games still in business after the GTA Trilogy disaster?
Yes, Grove Street Games continues operating and is actively developing an unannounced 2026 title. The studio has maintained relationships with other publishers, including continued work on Ark franchise ports, suggesting they’ve survived the Rockstar fallout professionally.
What platforms will the Grove Street Games 2026 title release on?
The unannounced project is confirmed for PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X/S. Whether it will also come to PC or other platforms has not been revealed. The focus on current-generation consoles suggests it won’t be hampered by last-generation hardware limitations.
Conclusion
Grove Street Games’ unannounced 2026 project represents a chance for redemption after the GTA Trilogy disaster permanently damaged their reputation. The studio that once seemed poised to become Rockstar’s go-to remaster house instead became synonymous with one of gaming’s most notorious botched releases. Their falling out with Rockstar, culminating in the public credit removal and CEO’s angry response, closed that chapter definitively. Now Grove Street must prove they can deliver quality work without Rockstar’s brand carrying them. Whatever they’re developing for PS5 and Xbox Series X/S needs to launch in far better condition than the trilogy did, or the studio risks becoming a cautionary tale about what happens when ambition, timeline, and resources don’t align. The gaming community will be watching closely, ready to pounce on any signs of the same corner-cutting and rushed development that made the GTA Trilogy such a disappointment. For Grove Street Games, 2026 isn’t just about launching another game – it’s about proving they deserve a second chance.