GTA Developer Allegedly Dismisses 30 Employees in ‘Anti-Union’ Action

Rockstar Games, the developer of the Grand Theft Auto series, has laid off 30 to 40 employees from its UK and Canadian offices, sparking allegations from the Independent Workers’ Union of Great Britain (IWGB). The union contends that these terminations were retaliatory actions against employees involved in union activities. Many of those dismissed were part of a private Discord group focused on union organizing, with some already being union members and others in the process of forming a union.

Alex Marshall, president of the IWGB, condemned Rockstar’s actions as “the most ruthless act of union busting in the history of the UK games industry,” and the union has pledged to fight for the reinstatement of the affected workers. In contrast, Take-Two Interactive, Rockstar’s parent company, claimed that the layoffs were related to “gross misconduct” and not linked to union activities. A company spokesperson asserted that Rockstar aims to foster a positive working environment and insisted that the terminations were due to misconduct alone.

This controversy arises amid the ongoing development of Grand Theft Auto VI, which is slated for release on May 26, 2026, for PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X/S, though a PC version has not yet been confirmed. The situation has ignited wider conversations about labor rights and unionization in the gaming industry, emphasizing the challenges employees face in advocating for better working conditions. The outcome of these events could have significant implications for labor practices in the sector.