Newly released emails from the Jeffrey Epstein files have revealed some connections to major industry figures. This includes the likes of former Activision Blizzard CEO Bobby Kotick, Rockstar Games president Sam Houser, and the former president of Rockstar North, Leslie Benzies. These are some of the biggest names in the industry, and the findings are nothing short of shocking.
As compiled by Gamespot, Epstein and Activision Blizzard CEO Bobby Kotick exchanged over a dozen emails between 2012 and 2013. These discussions ranged from casual meetup plans to Epstein inviting Kotick to his private island. Kotick was also in communication with Ghislaine Maxwell, a co-conspirator of Epstein’s who is currently serving a 20-year sentence in federal prison.
Shocking Industry Ties
In case you didn’t know, Epstein was banned from Xbox Live back in 2013 “due to harassment, threats, and/or abuse of other players.” The Verge reported on this issue a few weeks ago. He was apparently a fan of Call of Duty, and in 2018, Epstein’s advisers floated the idea of buying Activision Blizzard stock ahead of Black Ops 4.
But perhaps the most disturbing finding here is the discussions Epstein and Kotick had about “conditioning” young audiences to microtransactions.
For Rockstar, Sam Houser and Leslie Benzies appear in a 62-page file from Epstein victim Sarah Ransome’s 2017 lawsuit (settled 2018). The victim was dating Benzies at some point, and mentions Rockstar North and Sam Houser in allegations of behind-the-scenes behaviour, saying:
“Sam Houser, you met me ample times when dating Leslie, and now the time has come about what you and your Rockstar North boys really get up to behind the scenes,” said Ransome in the files. “I’m surprised there has yet to be a class action for you guys alone!!”
There isn’t concrete evidence vetted to these claims, and neither is otherwise linked to Epstein. When talking with Kotaku, Benzies completely denied any links with Epstein. This news hit amid the gaming industry’s recent labor scrutiny, as seen in our Rockstar union coverage. While the files don’t exactly reveal direct criminal ties for Benzies, Houser, or Activision Blizzard CEO Bobby Kotick, they do paint quite a depressing picture.
