Longtime Rockstar North chief Leslie Benzies has left the company

Scottish game developer Leslie Benzies is president of Rockstar North no longer, having chosen not to return after reportedly leaving the studio on sabbatical in September of 2014.

The news comes courtesy of a Rockstar statement to Kotaku confirming Benzies' departure from the studio, where he'd worked since 1998 (when it was still DMA Design) on everything from Space Station Silicon Valley to Grand Theft Auto V.

Benzies worked his way up to president of the studio, and in 2014 was inducted into the AIAS Hall Of Fame alongside Rockstar Games founders Sam and Dan Houser.

In his absence, Rockstar has informed Kotaku that Rockstar North is now being jointly led by company mainstays (and art directors) Rob Nelson and Aaron Garbut.