GTA 6 Devs Fired By Rockstar Amid Union Organisation Claims

The developer behind Grand Theft Auto VI has dismissed more than 30 staff members in recent days, igniting accusations of union-busting at Rockstar Games. The company maintains that the terminations were due to misconduct, while a labour union contends they were retaliatory actions tied to efforts to organise a union.

On 30 October 2025, between 30 and 40 employees across Rockstar’s UK and Canadian offices were dismissed. The staff affected reportedly belonged to a private Discord server engaged in organising activities with the Independent Workers’ Union of Great Britain (IWGB). The union swiftly characterised the move as “one of the most blatant and ruthless acts of union busting in the history of the UK games industry.”

Rockstar’s parent, Take-Two Interactive Software, maintains the firings were strictly disciplinary, citing “gross misconduct.” The company said the decision was unrelated to union membership or organising. A spokesperson stated:

“We strive to make the world’s best entertainment properties … Rockstar Games terminated a small number of individuals for gross misconduct, and for no other reason.”

In a more recent statement, Rockstar specified that the workers were found to have been “distributing and discussing confidential information in a public forum” — an alleged breach of company policy that the studio says was not connected to union activity.

The IWGB rejects that explanation. The union maintains that the only external parties the employees were speaking with were labour organisers, and presents the firings as a direct suppression of unionisation efforts. “Rockstar is afraid of hard-working staff privately discussing exercising their rights for a fairer workplace and a collective voice,” IWGB president Alex Marshall told Bloomberg.

Beyond the immediate dispute, the timing of the dismissals raises broader concerns. The studio is approaching the final stages of what is widely expected to be one of the industry’s most significant game launches. Grand Theft Auto VI is currently set for release on 26 May 2026 for console platforms.

Analysts and industry watchers note that the pressure on large studios to deliver high-profile titles at scale often correlates with heavier workloads, sensitive internal decision-making, and heightened risks of internal conflict.

Rockstar’s current assertion centres on protecting proprietary information. The 2022 leak of development footage for Grand Theft Auto VI, which saw unfinished assets released online, reportedly cost the company millions in hours and disrupted development schedules. The studio points to that incident as context for heightened security and disciplinary measures.

Critics counter that the described misconduct does not clearly align with the simultaneous dismissal of a group of employees who were all members of a union-adjacent chat. Some observers say the combination of timing, group membership, and response raises legitimate questions about the company’s motives.

Meanwhile, the industry reaction has been swift. The IWGB has pledged to pursue legal recourse, seeking the reinstatement of dismissed staff and an investigation into possible unfair dismissal. The controversy has also stirred debate around how major game developers balance employee rights, confidentiality concerns, and the commercial demands of blockbuster launches.

For its part, Rockstar has not publicly disclosed the specific content of the alleged leaks or the number of employees dismissed. Likewise, Take-Two did not supply further detail on the decision process, leaving outside observers working with partial information.

The situation lands at a moment when the video-game sector faces heightened scrutiny around working conditions, unionisation, and corporate transparency. Major studios have faced publicised instances of crunch culture, overtime pressure, and efforts by employees to unionise across the industry.

In this context, the firings at Rockstar stand out not only because of the prominence of the title and scale of the studio, but also because they raise questions about the extent to which developers can conduct behind-the-scenes organisation without pushing against studio risk-management frameworks.

For gamers eagerly tracking Grand Theft Auto VI, the controversy introduces an additional layer of complexity. Enthusiasm for the title remains high — but so do the questions about the studio environment behind its creation. How this dispute progresses and whether it affects launch schedules or internal morale remains to be seen.

Read also, Rockstar Games could bring a medieval fantasy game to life after GTA 6. Co-founder Dan Houser recently hinted that the studio had once explored a mythical world filled with knights, castles, and magic. This concept might resurface once the studio’s attention shifts beyond its defining crime saga.