Will there ever be a remake or sequel to L.A Noire?

Developed by the Sydney-based Team Bondi and published by Rockstar Games, L.A Noire left an enduring mark on generations of gamers with its intricate world design, clever interrogation gameplay, and cohesive plot serviced by a film noir atmosphere.

Even more revolutionary at the time, the game’s devs used motion capture technology to recreate the characters’ faces, resulting in realistic facial expressions that enhanced the grittiness of this crime story set in 1940s Los Angeles. So, is there a sequel on the horizon for L.A Noire? Let’s find out.

A much-awaited sequel on the way?

A decade has passed since the release of this underappreciated Rockstar Games gem, and many fans think L.A Noire deserves a sequel.

Last week, two posts on Instagram reignited their hopes, as musician and producer Freyja Garbett announced working on a “huge project” involving the writing of a video game “from the creators of L.A Noire.” Garbett further teased a “psychological thriller set in the 1940s in LA” allegedly called Sowden House. 

The news spread beyond Instagram, prompting users of the L.A Noire subreddit to speculate on this potential leak.

The sleuths of Reddit jumped on the case, discovering that Sowden House was the home of Dr. George Hodel, a suspect in the Black Dahlia murder that inspired one of the homicide investigations handled by Detective Cole Phelps in L.A Noire. Claiming the life of a young Hollywood hopeful in 1947, this famous case remains unsolved to this day.

A short-lived rumor

Video game media followed up on this developing news story. Yet, studio Video Games Deluxe, which consists of veterans of the now-defunct Team Bondi, issued a statement to the press clarifying that it was not working on a spiritual successor to L.A Noire.

The rumor seemingly stems from a misunderstanding regarding commissioned music for a scrapped tech demo that did not make the cut for the main game. Composer Freyja Garbett subsequently deleted the posts that had sparked these online reports.

Although VGD is working on something else, the studio made plain it was working strictly for Rockstar Games. This crushed the little hopes for an L.A Noire sequel, leaving many diehard fans disheartened.

Despite the game’s multiple accolades, a sequel has seemingly never been on the table, a fact made all too clear by the shutting down of the Team Bondi company, which entered liquidation shortly after L.A Noire’s release. 

Alternatives to L.A Noire

Lauded for their gameplay variety, the brilliant cases of L.A Noire may remain unmatched. For fans of the genre, the game’s impressively precise portrayal of Los Angeles only reinforces its meticulously crafted story.

Although now dated, innovative mechanics like MotionScan were certainly ahead of their time. Long story short, this atmospheric and stylish action-adventure title set a new standard in both storytelling and art direction.

Although they have big shoes to fill, there are many games in the same vein as L.A Noire. From dystopian tales like Detroit: Become Human to anime-like franchises like Danganronpa, visual novels and interactive detective stories are in no short supply in gaming. 

Entries like The Wolf Among Us, Disco Elysium, and Max Payne cater to players with a soft spot for gritty aesthetics, mature themes, and film-noir detective drama. This neo-noir vibe has even taken hold of the iGaming industry with slots like TripleCherry’s Noir City and NetEnt’s Cash Noire. Novice players can claim free spins to try these online slots.

Free spins are often part of signup promotions, making them the perfect deals to grab for newcomers willing to dig into a platform’s catalog.

Meanwhile, regular users may receive no-deposit bonuses to reward their loyalty or incentivize them to play a brand-new slot release. Whatever the case, specialized websites provide handy tips for gamers to make the most of their casino bonuses. 

What’s next for fans of L.A Noire?

Rumors of new game projects come and go in online circles. This time around, the buzz has been painfully brief, as the studio quickly came forward to refute that an L.A Noire sequel was undergoing development.

Still, fans of crime dramas have a few titles to look forward to, such as the localization of the previously Japan-exclusive Ace Attorney Investigations Collection and the return of the detective saga of The Rise of the Golden Idol.

Released in 2024, the remake of Alone in the Dark also hits the right boxes of a psychological thriller, only with a Southern Gothic flair.