Rock and a hard place
Benzies in contract and royalties fight after row over his sabbatical
SCOTS businessman Leslie Benzies, who helped create the Grand Theft Auto video game is suing his former employers, Rockstar North, for $150m (£105m). Mr Benzies, originally from Aberdeen, is alleging that he was ousted from the Edinburgh-based firm by “deception”. Mr Benzies, who went on a six-month-long sabbatical, said he was not allowed back into the company’s offices upon his return and claimed that royalty payments were stopped when he took his break.
THE former boss of the Scottishbased computer games studio behind the hugely successful Grand Theft Auto (GTA) games is suing the company for $150 million (£105m), claiming he was ousted by “deception”.
Leslie Benzies, 45, originally from Aberdeen, was head of the Edinburgh-based Rockstar North and director of GTA5, which on its release in September 2013 became one the biggest-selling video games in history.
A year later, Mr Benzies left his post after 20 years, saying he was going on a sabbatical.
He is now suing the company in the US courts claiming he was not allowed to return to Rockstar North’s offices the following January and that his security pass had been de-activated.
He was allowed into the premises, but met by an office manager who ordered Mr Benzies to leave, it is alleged.
Rockstar North is also accused of making “scurrilous allegations” against Mr Benzies to create a reason for his dismissal.
His lawsuit claims this was “a revenge tactic they had used before with other respected employees”. They deployed the tactic against Mr Benzies “in an attempt to concoct false grounds for termination for cause and to intimidate him into not pursuing his royalty claims”.
One extraordinary passage in the lawsuit alleges: “This was a shocking development given that Sam Houser (co-founder of Rockstar Games) himself had orches- trated and encouraged a company culture involving strip clubs, personal photography of employees in sexually compromising positions and other conduct grossly in violation of standard workplace norms.”
The company denies the claim, insisting he decided not to return, and are now counter-suing Mr Benzies, who currently lives in California.
According to a report in Gamesindustry.biz, Mr Benzies claims former colleagues reneged on an agreement regarding loyalty payments and that royalty payments stopped once he began his six-month sabbatical.
It is alleged that on asking Rockstar North why the royalty payments had stopped he was told it was because “you’ve had enough”.
The lawsuits claim $93m (£65m) had been paid out under the royalty plan since Mr Benzies took his sabbatical. It claims a further $523m (£367m) is “unaccounted for”.
The lawsuit claims relationships soured within the company as a result of the launch of the online version of GTA5. In particular, colleagues of Mr Benzies “had little interest” in GTA Online.
Rockstar North is owned by Rockstar Star Games, which is itself part of giant games publishing firm Take-Two Interactive, based in New York.
Rockstar North and Take-Two have filed a counter-claim for breach of contract in a New York court declaring they have “sought unsuccessfully to resolve this issue through mediation and now seek judicial clarification that would resolve this controversy”.
The suit states: “Benzies resigned without good reason, and the Royalty Plan therefore provides that he is not entitled to any royalties not already accrued and payable to him prior to termination.”
Rockstar North told Gameindustry.biz: “Leslie Benzies was a valued employee of our company for many years.
“Sadly, the events that culminated in his resignation ultimately stem from his significant performance and conduct issues.
“Despite our repeated efforts to address and resolve these issues amicably both before and after his departure, Leslie has chosen to take this route in an attempt to set aside contract terms to which he previously agreed on multiple occasions.”
The gaming giant also said Mr Benzies claims were “bizarre” and “without any merit”.