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| Rockstar Vienna (2003–2006) | |
| Formerly | Neo Software Produktions GmbH (1993–2003) |
| Company type | Subsidiary |
| Industry | Video games |
| Founded | 4 January 1993 in Hirtenberg, Austria |
| Founders |
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| Defunct | 11 May 2006 |
| Fate | Dissolved |
| Headquarters | , Austria |
Key people |
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Number of employees | 110 (2006) |
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Rockstar Vienna (Rockstar Productions GmbH; formerly Neo Software Produktions GmbH) was an Austrian video game developer and a studio of Rockstar Games based in Vienna. Peter Baustädter, Niki Laber, and Hannes Seifert founded the studio as Neo Software in January 1993 as they neared the completion of Whale's Voyage. The game led Neo Software to early success, as did 1994's The Clue!, which sold over a million copies, and enabled the company to relocate from Seifert's house in Hirtenberg to offices in Vienna. After Neo Software's Alien Nations sold more than a million copies in 1999, Computec Media acquired a majority stake in the company, seeking it to produce online games. It then sold the studio and several other businesses to Gameplay.com in February 2000, which sold Neo Software to Take-Two Interactive in January 2001 as part of a subsidiary exchange.
Under Take-Two, Neo Software mostly developed ports, starting with Max Payne for the Xbox. The studio was integrated with Take-Two's Rockstar Games label in January 2003 as Rockstar Vienna, bringing its Max Payne 2: The Fall of Max Payne, Grand Theft Auto III, and Grand Theft Auto: Vice City to consoles. The studio worked on Manhunt 2 from January 2004 until May 2006, when the company was abruptly closed in a cost reduction. Rockstar Vienna had become the largest developer in Austria by that time, and its disestablishment left 110 people out of work. Manhunt 2 was completed at Rockstar London, omitting all Rockstar Vienna credits upon release.