Rockstar Games Sequel Leak Circulated in 2023
A December 2023 forum post claimed that a follow-up to the 2011 game L.A. Noire is in development.
Updated on Sept. 28, 2026 in Gaming
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A 2023 forum post alleged that Rockstar Games is working on a sequel to the 2011 hit L.A. Noire. The leak claimed the upcoming title will be set in San Francisco and focus on the crimes of the Zodiac killer.
Why it matters
The potential return of this franchise has garnered interest because Take-Two CEO Strauss Zelnick previously expressed that the company is open to creating more games in the series.
The original L.A. Noire title launched in 2011, while the historical Zodiac killer murders occurred in San Francisco between December 1968 and October 1969. The leaked post speculates a release for the new title in 2030.
The players
Rockstar Games
This is a prominent American video game publisher known for developing the Grand Theft Auto and Red Dead Redemption series.
Strauss Zelnick
He serves as the CEO of Take-Two Interactive, the parent company of Rockstar Games.
Brendan McNamara
He is the head of Rockstar Australia and a prominent figure in the development of detective-themed games.
The details
The unverified report suggests the sequel will utilize advanced face scanning technology to expand upon the series. This news follows the return of Brendan McNamara, who rejoined the company as head of Rockstar Australia in March 2025.
Timeline
December 1968 - October 1969: The Zodiac killer murdered at least five people in San Francisco.
2011: The original L.A. Noire game was released.
December 2023: A forum post containing the leak was published.
March 2025: Brendan McNamara rejoined Rockstar.
November 19, 2026: GTA 6 is scheduled for launch.
Roadmap
The speculation follows the massive development cycle surrounding the upcoming release of Grand Theft Auto 6. This project reportedly takes a different direction from the two-protagonist focus recently adopted by Rockstar North for its next major release.
Players should note that this report remains unverified, meaning there is no current impact on retail availability or digital pre-orders. Enthusiasts of the franchise will need to monitor official channels for any future development updates.
The takeaway
While historical crime themes remain popular in interactive media, such unverified leaks should be viewed as speculative rather than confirmed announcements. Readers interested in the studio's pipeline should prioritize information released directly through official investor and press channels.
Further reading
For more information on the industry, visit the Gaming section.
Source note: This article includes information reported by Metro.
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Would you prefer Rockstar develop a sequel to L.A. Noire or an entirely new game?
