Over the past weekend, a fresh wave of leaked details resurfaced online claiming that Rockstar Games is developing a sequel to its acclaimed 2011 detective drama LA Noire, reportedly slated for a 2030 release. The rumor, which originated on 4chan and was unearthed by vigilant fans, purports that the unsequel would be set in San Francisco and revolve around the Zodiac Killer, who terrorized California in the 1970s. While the post contains several details that have since been corroborated by legitimate reporting, the core claim of a dedicated LA Noire sequel remains entirely unconfirmed by Rockstar, leaving journalists and players alike to separate credible evidence from pure speculation.
The resurgence of interest stems from a single 4chan post that has since been expanded upon across gaming forums. Among its most notable claims is that Rockstar originally planned to feature four protagonists in GTA 6 before settling on two, a detail recently confirmed by Rockstar North co-studio head Rob Nelson. The post also touched on the game’s relationship mechanic, which has likewise been verified, and teased spoilers that align loosely with other leaks circulating in recent years. Yet the reason the post is being dug back up is its boldest assertion: that Rockstar’s next project is a follow-up to LA Noire, targeting a 2030 launch.
An Ideal Setting for a Return to Form
If Rockstar were ever to revisit the LA Noire universe, the Zodiac Killer case would represent perhaps the most fitting material available. The case is rich with unique crimes, colorful figures, and a moody period setting that would suit the studio’s signature atmospheric storytelling. Still, the plausibility of such a project hinges on far more than narrative opportunity, and the studio’s recent restructuring offers some of the strongest circumstantial evidence yet.
LA Noire was developed by Team Bondi, a studio led by Brendan McNamara, with Rockstar publishing the title and lending developers to assist on the project. Team Bondi dissolved shortly after the game’s release, and McNamara went on to found a new studio to work on a successor known as The Whore of the Orient, without Rockstar’s backing. That project was ultimately scrapped over funding issues, after which McNamara founded yet another studio, Video Games Deluxe, which helped port LA Noire to VR devices. In 2025, Rockstar acquired the studio and renamed it Rockstar Australia.
The Studio Behind the Speculation
Rockstar Australia is now at the center of the rumor mill, and for good reason. Presumably the studio is assisting with GTA 6, but a significant portion of its staff is comprised of former LA Noire creatives, including McNamara, a renowned storyteller. It seems difficult to imagine a creative figure of his caliber being relegated to a support role indefinitely, which lends weight to the idea that Rockstar could have plans for more games with him at the helm.
“Broadly, we’re looking at doing something in the future with all of our intellectual property. There’s nothing to announce on LA Noire specifically, and if there were, it would be Rockstar announcing it, not me. But in any case, with regard to our legacy IP, the teams are always looking at what we have and we’re always thinking about it. The question is, at any given time, do we have a team that’s passionate about working on that?”
Strauss Zelnick, Take-Two Interactive CEO
Rockstar has demonstrated an interest in the IP on multiple occasions. LA Noire was the second Rockstar title, behind GTA 5, to be ported to Xbox One and PS4, a decision that raised eyebrows given fans were more eager for franchises like Bully, Red Dead Redemption, or even GTA 4. A condensed version was also ported to VR around the same time, representing an unusual level of investment for the publisher. More recently, Take-Two CEO Strauss Zelnick was asked about the possibility of LA Noire returning, noting that the door remains open so long as a passionate team exists to drive the project.
Looking Ahead
Whether McNamara himself is invested in another period crime drama remains to be seen, though his team would likely be the most eager to return to the LA Noire world. Back in 2012, Rockstar teased that a sequel was not off the table, citing the game’s strong performance and Take-Two’s framing of the property as a franchise. “Don’t count out the possibility of a new game in the LA Noire franchise in the future,” the studio said during a fan Q&A. “We simply have not decided anything. We’re all very pleased with how that game turned out and are considering what the future may hold for LA Noire as a series.”
Either way, a great deal of uncertainty surrounds Rockstar’s direction post-GTA 6. The title is expected to be the biggest entertainment launch in history, and the studio will likely support it extensively with updates over time, especially as its online mode launches in the future. The lingering question is whether that effort will be all-consuming, eliminating any chance of “smaller” games like an LA Noire sequel, or whether the game’s financial success will afford Rockstar the freedom to make more ambitious artistic plays. Rockstar is already set to publish a pair of Max Payne remakes developed by Remedy, suggesting that opportunities exist beyond heavily monetized online titles. For now, the LA Noire 2 rumor remains exactly that: a rumor, one that deserves attention but not confirmation.
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