The Scot who headed the firm behind one of the best-selling video game series of all time has set up new companies amid a legal battle with his former employer.
In his former role as president of Rockstar North, Leslie Benzies oversaw the production of the acclaimed Grand Theft Auto games.
And now, after leaving the Edinburgh-based studio, Mr Benzies, 46, has set up several new firms in the Scottish Capital.
He is currently in the middle of a £105m financial dispute with Rockstar North and its US Parent company Take Two Interactive.
Mr Benzies, who was born in Aberdeen and grew up in Elgin, claims he was forced out of the company in 2016 and sued his ex-employers, but the publisher denied this and launched their own legal action.
While the legal battle rages on, the Bafta-winning producer has set up five new companies in Edinburgh.
One of these companies, Royal Circus Games Limited, has applied to the Intellectual Property Office to make clear its aim is to develop games for consoles, PCs and mobile devices.
It has also trademarked the title ‘Time for a New World’ and an associated social media hashtag #TFANW.
Another of the firms, VR-Chitect Limited, has filed documents with the United States Patent and Trademark Office.
These documents show that the company will produce headsets and glasses, along with the accompanying software, for virtual reality.
Mr Benzies worked as a producer on eight of the Grand Theft Auto titles, which has sold more than a quarter of a billion copies around the world.
