Former Grand Theft Auto president raised $42 million for upcoming game, Everywhere

Former Rockstar North president Leslie Benzies has raised $42 million dollars for his upcoming video game Everywhere.

Build a Rocket Boy Games (Benzies’s current studio, which he founded in 2018) secured the money from its latest round of funding, according to a report from the Telegraph (via Video Games Chronicle). The investors include NetEase and Galaxy Interactive.

There’s very little information about Everywhere despite the hype surrounding it. During Benzies’s time at Rockstar, the designer worked on Grand Theft Auto III (when the franchise became Rockstar’s flagship franchise) all the way to the latest game in the series, Grand Theft Auto V. With Everywhere being described as an open-world game in the vein of GTA and thus a direct competitor, hopes for the game are high.

Everywhere may not even be the final name of the game. Benzies referred to it as a working title and didn’t share anything beyond a general design philosophy behind how the game will treat storytelling.

“We want this game to be less restrictive than other games,” Benzies said in an interview with Polygon. “While the game has multiple narratives, we also want players to create their own narratives that include characters with real personality.”

Aside from a contextless render of a blue-eyed woman, the only other clue we have is a description of the game on Build a Rocket Boy’s official website. It places the game in the near future in a world that is in the midst of a revolution due to technology.

As Benzies’s first game since leaving Rockstar in 2016, Everywhere also comes with some complicated history. Benzies sued Rockstar for $150 million shortly after his departure, alleging that the studio withheld royalties from him. The case finally ended in February 2019 with a confidentiality agreement signed by all parties involved.

The mysterious conclusion of the case has only fueled more anticipation for Everywhere, which many gamers eagerly await as Benzies’s first big independent splash.

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If you enjoyed this story, check out In The Know’s article on Hogwarts Legacy, the open world Harry Potter RPG that’s been rumored for years.

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