GTA 6 developer Rockstar Games has been accused of retaliating against its employees involved in union activities. Across the gaming industry, more studios are now seeing workers demanding rights to form unions, especially after years of criticism over crunch periods often required to meet deadlines.
According to the Independent Workers’ Union of Great Britain (IWGB), Rockstar Games is now facing allegations that it does not support its employees’ demands for organized action. Reports claimed that the studio fired dozens of employees across its UK and Canadian offices.
Rockstar Games accused of frustrating union efforts
According to the Independent Workers’ Union of Great Britain (IWGB), the game developer abruptly dismissed between 30 and 40 workers. The union sees the act as a deliberate attempt to disrupt efforts to form a union inside the company. The union sees the company’s actions as one of the most “blatant and ruthless” acts of union busting in the gaming industry.
Alex Marshall, the president of the IWGB, said the studio’s actions showed “flagrant contempt for the law and for the lives of the workers who bring in their billions.” He also criticized Rockstar Games and its parent company, Take-Two Interactive, for disregarding their employees and the gaming community that supports their work. Union representatives are now calling for an investigation into the dismissals.
The union believes the timing and scale of the layoffs are suspicious and don’t seem to be for valid reasons. The IWGB is reportedly exploring legal means to get the dismissals overturned. In its statement, IWGB said that a major company like Rockstar Games getting away with antagonizing union organizers sends a “chilling message to workers everywhere who want to organize for fair treatment.”
Take Two denies accusations amid criticisms
Rockstar’s parent company, Take-Two Interactive Software Inc., denied all of IWGB’s accusations. The company insists that the layoffs were due to “gross misconduct” by the employees and not related to any union activities, but it has so far failed to provide any details of the supposed misconduct.
Meanwhile, Alan Lewis, a spokesperson for Take-Two, said the company “fully supports Rockstar’s ambitions and approach.” Despite the backlash, Rockstar Games has not given any indication that it plans to reverse the firings. This is also not the first time Rockstar Games has been embroiled in employee relations controversy. In early 2024, the company faced heavy criticism for asking workers to return to the office five days a week.
At the time, IWGB criticized that decision, saying it ignored workers’ well-being and family responsibilities. Rockstar Games defended the directive, noting that it was a necessary step to beef up security after a major leak revealed dozens of video footage from the unfinished Grand Theft Auto VI in 2022. Rockstar is still preparing to release the highly anticipated Grand Theft Auto VI video games on May 26, 2026.
