Team Bondi

Team Bondi Pty. Limited, which operated under the trade name Team Bondi, was a Sydney-based video game developer best known for creating the action-adventure game L.A. Noire, which was published by Rockstar Games in 2011.

Despite the critical and commercial success of its only title, the studio became embroiled in controversy following allegations from former employees regarding poor working conditions¹. These issues led to a breakdown in the relationship with its publisher, Rockstar Games. Team Bondi was unable to secure a new publishing deal and was subsequently liquidated, ceasing operations on October 5, 2011². Several members, led by founder Brendan McNamara, later formed Video Games Deluxe³, which continued to collaborate with Rockstar Games before being acquired and renamed Rockstar Australia in 2025⁴.

Overview

Team Bondi was founded in Sydney in mid-2003 by Brendan McNamara, who had previously directed The Getaway at Sony's Team Soho studio⁵. The new studio hired many former Team Soho developers and initially secured an exclusive publishing deal with Sony Computer Entertainment Australia⁶. The studio's first and only project, L.A. Noire, was announced in 2005, with publishing duties later transferring to Rockstar Games.

Released in May 2011, L.A. Noire was a commercial and critical success. However, shortly after its release, the studio faced significant controversy. A website called L.A. Noire Credits was launched by former developers, listing over 130 individuals who were allegedly left out of the game's credits⁷. This was followed by an investigative article by IGN that detailed allegations from anonymous former employees about severe crunch, 12-hour workdays, and a poor managerial style, which led to an investigation by the International Game Developers Association (IGDA)⁸. Leaked emails later suggested that the relationship between Team Bondi and Rockstar Games had completely broken down, with Rockstar refusing to publish any future games from the studio⁹.

Unable to secure a publishing deal for a new project, Team Bondi's assets were acquired by the film production company Kennedy Miller Mitchell in August 2011¹⁰. The studio was placed into administration on August 31, 2011¹¹, and officially entered liquidation on October 5, 2011¹², leaving over A$1.4 million owed to creditors, the majority of which consisted of unpaid wages and bonuses to former employees¹³.

Many former Team Bondi staff were moved to Kennedy Miller Mitchell's KMM Interactive Entertainment subsidiary to work on a new project, Whore of the Orient ¹⁴. That studio was closed in 2013 after its publisher pulled out¹⁵. Founder Brendan McNamara later established Video Games Deluxe the same year, which developed L.A. Noire: The VR Case Files ¹⁶ and assisted Rockstar by releasing patches and fixes for Grand Theft Auto: The Trilogy – The Definitive Edition. The studio was eventually acquired by Rockstar and rebranded as Rockstar Australia on March 3, 2025.

Branding and Design

Team Bondi's branding was minimal and text-focused. The logo displayed the company name in a clean, sans-serif typeface, typically shown in white on a dark background. The studio’s name is likely a reference to Bondi, the well-known Sydney suburb and beach where it was based.

Products / Services

Team Bondi’s only released title was the video game L.A. Noire. Set in 1947 Los Angeles, it is an action-adventure game recognized for its groundbreaking facial animation technology. The game was published by Rockstar Games and released in 2011 for PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360, with later ports to additional platforms.

The studio had also begun work on a new project, Whore of the Orient, which was intended as a spiritual successor to L.A. Noire. However, the game was cancelled following the studio’s closure.

Locations / Presence

Team Bondi was a video game development studio located in Sydney, Australia.