Leslie Benzies is a Scottish video game producer, and the former president of Rockstar North, a subsidiary of Rockstar Games, until 2016.
Career[]
Benzies was first credited as producer on Grand Theft Auto III, and subsequently on Grand Theft Auto: Vice City, Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas, Grand Theft Auto: Liberty City Stories, Grand Theft Auto: Vice City Stories, Grand Theft Auto IV, Grand Theft Auto: The Lost and Damned, Grand Theft Auto: The Ballad of Gay Tony, Grand Theft Auto: Chinatown Wars and Grand Theft Auto V.
He was additionally credited as development director on Grand Theft Auto: Vice City, president of Rockstar North on Grand Theft Auto Advance, game designer on Grand Theft Auto V and designer & director on Grand Theft Auto Online.
At Rockstar North, he was also credited as the producer on Manhunt and Manhunt 2 and as executive producer on Red Dead Redemption, L.A. Noire and Max Payne 3.
Benzies served as president of the company from the start of the development of Grand Theft Auto III until he resigned on January 12, 2016 following a 17-month sabbatical, with Aaron Garbut and Rob Nelson taking over the lead of Rockstar North.[1]
On April 13, 2016, Benzies launched legal action against Rockstar Games, claiming $150m in unpaid royalties.[2] On February 7, 2019, Benzies' litigation with Take-Two had officially come to an end. All parties involved in the case successfully executed a confidential settlement, with each agreeing to bear its own costs and expenses, including, without limitation, attorney's fees.[3]
Benzies is currently president of Build a Rocket Boy Games and is currently working on a new game titled Everywhere.
Employment History[]
| From | To | Company | Role |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1999 | January 12, 2016 | Rockstar North | President |
Video Game Credits[]
Producer[]
- Grand Theft Auto III (2001)
- Grand Theft Auto: Vice City (2002)
- Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas (2004)
- Grand Theft Auto: Liberty City Stories (2005)
- Grand Theft Auto: Vice City Stories (2006)
- Grand Theft Auto IV (2008)
- Grand Theft Auto: The Lost and Damned (2009)
- Grand Theft Auto: The Ballad of Gay Tony (2009)
- Grand Theft Auto: Chinatown Wars (2009)
- Grand Theft Auto V (2013)
Backing Vocalist[]
- Grand Theft Auto: Vice City (2002)
Development Director[]
- Grand Theft Auto: Vice City (2002)
President of Rockstar North[]
- Grand Theft Auto Advance (2004)
Game Designer[]
- Grand Theft Auto V (2013)
Designer & Director[]
- Grand Theft Auto Online (2013)
References[]
- ↑ "Rockstar North Boss Leslie Benzies Is Out After Nearly Two Decades" - Kotaku. January 12, 2016.
- ↑ Grand Theft Auto developer Leslie Benzies sues Rockstar
- ↑ "LESLIE BENZIES, Plaintiff, v. TAKE-TWO INTERACTIVE SOFTWARE, ROCKSTAR GAMES, INC., ROCKSTARNORTH LTD., DAN HOUSER, and SAM HOUSER, Defendants"