Interview with a Former Rockstar Leeds Sound Engineer Regarding Rockstar and Take-Two

Rob Carr, a veteran Sound Engineer formerly with Rockstar Leeds, recently sat down for an extensive conversation on the Kiwi Talkz YouTube channel. Like most interactions involving former Rockstar personnel, the dialogue was notably circumspect, a direct result of the lifelong non-disclosure agreements (NDAs) that the studio famously mandates. This air of professional caution was anticipated, given the teaser shared prior to the full release.

In Feb I mentioned I was interviewing a Former Rockstar dev that worked on L.A. Noire , GTA V and RDR2 and how he hasnt been able to find work for over a year, well that interview is dropping this weekend so be on the lookout for it. (Its available already for Patreon and Youtube… https://t.co/Dw3D6tbgly

— Reece “Kiwi Talkz” Reilly (@kiwitalkz) March 24, 2026

Despite the legal constraints, Carr offered several fascinating insights into the studio’s inner workings and his own career trajectory:

• From Music Shop to Rockstar: Carr’s entry into the industry was facilitated by Gordon Hall, the late president of Rockstar Leeds. At the time, Carr was running a music store and teaching guitar. Hall offered him a position 40 miles away, initially to polish and finalize the rhythmic drafts provided by Timbaland for Beaterator. Recognizing the prestige of working with the GTA 4 creators, Carr and his family decided it was an opportunity he couldn’t afford to pass up.
• The Prototype for GTA 5: He noted that the “Three Leaf Clover” mission in Liberty City, along with the intersecting narratives of Niko Bellic, Johnny Klebitz, and Luis Lopez, served as the foundational blueprint for Grand Theft Auto V. These experiments with heist mechanics and multi-protagonist storytelling were essentially a dry run for the 2013 blockbuster.
• Reflecting on Red Dead: While acknowledging that RDR 2 is the technically superior achievement, Carr considers RDR 1 his favorite project. He expressed lingering amazement at how such an ambitious, advanced title was successfully realized on the limited hardware of the PS3 and Xbox 360.
• The Cost of Ambition: After contributing to titles like GTA: Chinatown Wars and L.A. Noire, Carr departed the studio in 2016. The grueling schedule of 60 to 70-hour work weeks prompted him to step away to prioritize his home life and his two children.
• Looking Ahead to GTA 6: Based on his experience, Carr anticipates that GTA 6 will be a sophisticated synthesis of the high-octane elements of Grand Theft Auto V and the immersive, grounded systems seen in Red Dead Redemption II.