Rockstar North President Leaves Studio After 15 Years

Leslie Benzies departs from Grand Theft Auto 5 developer after 17 month sabbatical.

Posted By | On 13th, Jan. 2016

GTA 5 PC

Rockstar North president Leslie Benzies has left the studio after spending 15 years there. The news was confirmed by Rockstar Games to Kotaku when it was revealed that Benzies was out on a sabbatical for the past 17 months before leaving.

According to a representative from Rockstar, “We can confirm that Leslie Benzies went on sabbatical on September 1, 2014 and has decided not to return to work for the company. We are very grateful for Leslie’s contributions to Rockstar over the last 15 years as we worked together to make some amazing games.

“Leslie helped us build an incredible team that will continue to create great experiences for our fans. Leslie will always be a friend to the company and of course we are going to miss him but we wish him the absolute best for the future.”

Aaron Garbut and Rob Nelson who have worked at Rockstar for 19 years will be taking over Benzies’ role. What are your thoughts on the same? Let us know in the comments.


Keep On Reading!

State of Decay 3 Developer Could Face Closure With Impending Xbox Layoffs – Rumor

State of Decay 3 Developer Could Face Closure With Impending Xbox Layoffs – Rumor

Like Double Fine Productions, Ninja Theory and Compulsion Games, Undead Labs may shut down if it doesn't find ...

PlayStation’s Next-Gen Platform Seeks “A Seamless Experience” Enjoyable “Beyond the Living Room”

PlayStation’s Next-Gen Platform Seeks “A Seamless Experience” Enjoyable “Beyond the Living Room”

SIE president Hideaki Nishino says the company aims "to deliver value unique to PlayStation" rather than "serv...

Assassin’s Creed Black Flag Resynced vs Original – 15 More Changes That Stand Out

Assassin’s Creed Black Flag Resynced vs Original – 15 More Changes That Stand Out

Beyond graphics and combat, the changes highlighted in this feature reshape how Black Flag Resynced plays at a...

The Next Ghost Recon Has Become One Big Question Mark

The Next Ghost Recon Has Become One Big Question Mark

It's been almost seven years since the last Ghost Recon, but despite initial promise, the next title seems to ...

College Football 27 Might Finally Make Dynasty Mode The Star

College Football 27 Might Finally Make Dynasty Mode The Star

A couple of iterations later, and we might be getting a Dynasty Mode that builds on its predecessor’s strong...

15 Big Games Launching in July 2026

15 Big Games Launching in July 2026

A deluge of releases awaits in the months leading up to GTA 6, and it all starts in July. Check out all the ke...