Former Rockstar North chief Leslie Benzies establishes new studio

Former Rockstar North president and Grand Theft Auto V producer Leslie Benzies is trying to engineer a move back into the games industry after allegedly being forced out of Rockstar.

As reported by The Scotsman, Benzies has established five new companies in Edinburgh. One of those firms, Royal Circus Games, has already applied to the Intellection Property Office (IPO) and stated its main goal is to create video games for consoles, PCs, and mobile devices.

Royal Circus has also trademarked the title 'Time for a New World' along with the hashtag #TFANW, potentially revealing the name of Benzies first post-Rockstar game project.

According to documents filed with the IPO and the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office, another one of Benzies' newly established companies, VR-Chitect Limited, will look to manufacture virtual reality headsets, glasses, and software. 

Benzies is currently embroiled in a legal battle with his former employer, and is suing Rockstar, its owner Take-Two Interactive, and co-founders Sam and Dan Houser for over $150 million in unpaid royalties. 

Rockstar and Take-Two subsequently dismissed those claims and launched a counter-action lawsuit. The legal tussle is still ongoing, but it's clear Benzies is already planning for life after Rockstar.