After being at Rockstar Games for 2 decades, working on almost every single game ever released by Rockstar, Jeronimo Barrera has left Rockstar Games. Although he left in December of 2018 news only broke recently in an interview he did with Variety.
Barrera has worked as VP of development on almost every title Rockstar Games have ever created, from Grand Theft Auto Series to Red Dead, Bully, Midnight Club, L.A. Noire and much more. being there for 20 years, he’s been part of the company since it was pretty much founded, he’s basically a piece of the companies furniture. Barrera revealed he left in December 2018 after Red Dead Redemption 2 has been completed and released.
Speaking to Variety, he said “I pretty much left when it was done, it was a natural progression,” he said. “I looked at what I would be doing for the next few years if I stayed on and where I was in life with my family, my kids, my desire to make cool shitt. I felt like it was hitting all of the right points.”
He also said that if he had stayed at Rockstar Games it would have been more Grand Theft Auto’s and Red Dead Redemptions and less of the other stuff going on out there right now. He also said he felt some ways isolated whilst being at Rockstar Games. Barrera has seen the company grow from one small office space to 9 offices all across the globe and over 200 employees.
When asked about the controversy regarding the 100 hour weeks during the Red Dead Redemption 2 development he didn’t really say much besides about his personal experience “You make the best things in the world by being your best self,” he said. “I think Rockstar made the best stuff ever by getting the best out of people. We all work hard. The majority of the people who work at Rockstar think it’s all f***ing great, they take care of you and it’s all fun.”
Jeronimo Barrera doesn’t know what he wants to do moving forward but wants to find something that will make him feel proud of what he is apart of. He said ‘I’m very proud of everything I did with Rockstar.’
Barrera claims Grand Theft Auto V and Grand Theft Auto Online are also underrated games. ‘GTA Online’ was incredibly impactful,” he said. “I know it had a bit of a weird start, but it galvanized what online gaming for consoles can be.’
We wish Barrera a great future and hopes he finds something he will enjoy being part of.
