14 DAY TRIAL // Leslie Benzies is the former leader of Rockstar North, and it seems that his separation from the company, which took place earlier in the year, was not too amicable. This is because he is now launching a lawsuit against the company and asking for 150 million dollars (130 million Euro) in unpaid royalties over the work that he had done since 1999.
The executive was intimately involved in the creation of the Grand Theft Auto series and took a sabbatical after the fifth full installment in the franchise was delivered in 2014.
He then decided to move to new opportunities and is now saying that Dan and Sam Houser, the founders of Rockstar, pushed him away from the studio and then decided to withhold royalties and made it physically unable to enter the office and to actively return to work.
According to Gamesindustry.biz, a lawyer who is representing Leslie Benzies states that "After being let inside by building security, Mr. Benzies was then ordered to leave by the Rockstar North office manager without reason."
The lawsuit also claims that the Allocation Committee inside Rockstar then decided not to give him the owed royalties but might have not actually ever met to discuss the issue, making this a unilateral decision of the two founders.
Take Two is launching its lawsuit against Benzies
The publisher claims that the former executive resigned without offering a good reason and that his own decision means that he has no right to get the disputed 150 million dollars (130 million Euro).
Take Two and Rockstar are saying that the conflict cannot be solved via mediation and are also aiming to secure costs and other compensation associated with the trial.
Grand Theft Auto V is one of the most successful titles the two companies have ever delivered and is still generating sales on the Xbox One, the PC, and the PlayStation 4.
The introduction of the Online mode means that gamers remain engaged with the open-world experience for longer periods of time and continue to generate revenue for Rockstar and Take Two, especially given that more content is constantly introduced.
Fans can now try out the new Inch by Inch mode, and a new minivan is offered for those looking to cause some mayhem.
Rumors are saying that the company is not currently working on a new GTA but might soon reveal that it is creating a new Red Dead title, which might be called Legends of the West.