GTA 6 Dev Rockstar accused of union-busting and abruptly firing dozens of employees

Grand Theft Auto VI developer Rockstar has reportedly laid off 30 to 40 employees, a move the Independent Workers Union of Great Britain (IWGB) called a “blatant” and “callous” act of union busting.

According to BloombergThe workers laid off last Thursday, all British and Canadian employees, were also members of a private union chat group on Discord and were either union members or trying to organize Rockstar. The IWGB issued a press release in response to the dismissals, stating that the dismissals were apparently due to union activity.

Rockstar just committed the most blatant and brutal act of union-busting in the history of the gaming industry. This blatant disregard for the law and the lives of workers who create billions of dollars is an insult to their fans and the global industry.

Despite orchestrated attacks on workers organizing to make a collective voice and improve their difficult working conditions, the Rock Star Alliance remains undeterred. They will continue to organize and fight for respect and better conditions while continuing to put their blood, sweat, and creativity into a game that millions of people love.

The IWGB will pursue all possible legal claims to ensure our members are reinstated and receive interim relief.

In response, publisher Take-Two issued its own statement through a spokesperson, countering that the dismissal was due to “serious misconduct and no other reason.”

We are committed to building the best entertainment industry in the world by providing a positive work environment and ongoing career opportunities for top-notch creative teams. Our culture focuses on teamwork, excellence and kindness. Rockstar Games has terminated a small number of individuals for serious misconduct and no other reason. As always, we fully support Rockstar's ambitions and approach.

The firings come as Rockstar prepares to release Grand Theft Auto 6 in 2017. Next Maysome analysts predict the game Earn $3 billion in its first year of sale What others said Becoming one of the most important versions of the game ever.

Amid the huge public anticipation for the game, Rockstar has been cautious with its marketing, releasing little information about the game ahead of release. However, after a period of Massive leaks of games in development 2022 and The first trailer for the game was released a day early The next year, Rockstar's security measures became increasingly strict. Last year, the studio started Requiring employees to come to the office five days a weekciting a desire to increase productivity and safety. This decision is Criticized by workers affiliated with IWGBhe said Rockstar broke its promise and was forced to return to the office, accusing the studio of refusing to engage with employees about the issue.

Rebekah Valentine is a senior reporter at IGN. You can find her posts at BlueSky @duckvalentine.bsky.social. Have a story tip? Send it to [email protected].