An anonymous employee at Rockstar Games has alleged that over 30 UK staff members were abruptly fired for “gross misconduct” following a union organizing push at the company.
According to the account posted online at gtaforums.com, between 31 and 34 workers were terminated on the same day. The employee claims those fired were identified through their participation in a private Discord server where staff discussed workplace conditions and union organizing.
The timing appears significant. The anonymous poster states the union drive had reached roughly 200–250 members, crossing the 10% threshold needed to seek formal recognition under UK law. Once a union hits that mark and can demonstrate majority support, employers must engage in the statutory recognition process through the Central Arbitration Committee.
Rockstar’s position, according to the post, is that the dismissed employees breached non-disclosure agreements by discussing confidential company information. The company allegedly classified this as gross misconduct justifying immediate termination. No specific leaked information has been publicly identified.
The poster’s employment was privately verified by a long-standing administrator at GTAForums Spider-Vice, though this verification only confirms they work at Rockstar. The actual claims about firings, numbers, and circumstances remain unverified by independent media or legal filings.
UK employment law does permit summary dismissal for gross misconduct, but employers must follow fair procedures. This includes informing employees of allegations with supporting evidence, holding a formal meeting, and allowing workers to respond with representation present. Dismissal for union activity is generally unlawful and considered automatically unfair.
If workers challenge the dismissals at an employment tribunal, outcomes will likely hinge on whether Rockstar can demonstrate genuine NDA breaches backed by proper procedure, or whether the real motivation was suppressing union organizing. Tribunals can order compensation and in rare cases reinstatement.
Rockstar North, the Edinburgh-based studio behind Grand Theft Auto, has faced labor scrutiny before. The company drew widespread criticism in 2018 over extreme overtime during Red Dead Redemption 2 development. Earlier this year, Rockstar mandated a full return to office, prompting public pushback from UK game worker unions.
What happens next
Any affected employees will likely file tribunal claims in the coming months. Those cases could take a year or more to resolve. Union representatives may also challenge the dismissals through the CAC if they believe it was designed to prevent statutory recognition.
Neither Rockstar Games nor Take-Two Interactive has issued a public statement confirming the dismissals or explaining the company’s position. The IWGB Game Workers union, which has been active in organizing UK game developers, has not yet commented on whether they’re supporting any of the allegedly dismissed workers.
