Sponsored By

GTA V producer hits speed bump in $150M lawsuit against Rockstar

Leslie Benzies is currently suing Rockstar, its owner Take-Two, and studio co-founders Sam and Dan Houser for unpaid royalties in excess of $150 million.

Chris Kerr, News Editor

April 9, 2018

1 Min Read
Game Developer logo in a gray background | Game Developer

Former Rockstar North chief and Grand Theft Auto V producer Leslie Benzies has suffered a setback in his lawsuit against Rockstar.

Benzies is currently suing Rockstar, its owner Take-Two, and studio co-founders Sam and Dan Houser for unpaid royalties in excess of $150 million after alleging he was unlawfully dismissed on April 1, 2015. 

He claims all three parties worked together to force him out of the company and terminate his royalty payments, which would've entitled him to an equal three-way split of profit sharing payments with the Housers. 

However, the New York Supreme Court has ruled that the profit sharing agreement Benzies signed doesn't actually grant him a $150 million cut, as it "contains no language mandating equal payments." 

Despite that, the court agrees that Benzies is entitled to "certain royalties" as part of his compensation, and that Rockstar did indeed breach its employment agreement based on salary and stock withheld. 

In short, that means Benzies could still be in line for a significant payout, given GTA V continues to bring home the bacon for Rockstar and Take-Two

 

About the Author

Chris Kerr

News Editor, GameDeveloper.com

Game Developer news editor Chris Kerr is an award-winning journalist and reporter with over a decade of experience in the game industry. His byline has appeared in notable print and digital publications including Edge, Stuff, Wireframe, International Business Times, and PocketGamer.biz. Throughout his career, Chris has covered major industry events including GDC, PAX Australia, Gamescom, Paris Games Week, and Develop Brighton. He has featured on the judging panel at The Develop Star Awards on multiple occasions and appeared on BBC Radio 5 Live to discuss breaking news.

Daily news, dev blogs, and stories from Game Developer straight to your inbox

You May Also Like