Rockstar Games has fired a group of UK-based employees who were organizing a union while working on Grand Theft Auto 6. The dismissals happened simultaneously in recent days, with the company citing “gross misconduct” as the reason.
The fired workers and their union dispute Rockstar’s explanation. They claim the terminations are unlawful retaliation for protected union activity under UK law. According to multiple reports, Rockstar tied the misconduct allegations to leaks, but the workers deny any wrongdoing.
People Make Games published a detailed investigation into the firings, including interviews with affected workers and union representatives. The report describes how employees began organizing to address workplace conditions before being dismissed as a group.
Protests have taken place outside Rockstar’s UK offices following the terminations. Some current staff reportedly showed support for the fired workers. The dismissed employees and their union are now pursuing claims through the UK employment tribunal system.
UK labor law protects workers from dismissal for union membership or organizing activities. Under the Trade Union and Labour Relations Act 1992, such dismissals can be ruled automatically unfair. Employment tribunals assess whether stated reasons like “gross misconduct” are genuine or pretexts for anti-union action.
These cases typically take months to over a year to resolve, even for high-profile disputes. The timeline means any legal outcome will likely come well after GTA 6‘s planned 2026 release window.
The timing of the firings raises additional concerns for the dismissed workers. Rockstar has historically excluded developers who leave before a game ships from its official credits. For Red Dead Redemption 2, the company later added some names to an online “thank you” page, but in-game credits remained unchanged.
Credits matter significantly in the games industry. Shipped titles serve as core credentials for career advancement. Being excluded from GTA 6‘s credits could damage the fired workers’ future job prospects.
Compensation structures add another layer of stakes. Some workers at major studios report receiving below-market base salaries with the promise of substantial post-release bonuses tied to game sales. Getting fired before launch means losing access to those payments.
One dismissed worker told People Make Games they were offered a notably lower salary than industry standard with the expectation of a large bonus once GTA 6 released. The firing eliminates that potential payout entirely.
Rockstar has faced scrutiny over workplace practices before. Previous reporting documented extensive crunch periods around major releases. Quality assurance roles, which are often at the center of organizing efforts across the industry, typically face particularly intense schedules.
Neither Rockstar nor parent company Take-Two has issued a public statement about the firings beyond internal notices to staff. The company has not clarified whether dismissed workers will appear in GTA 6‘s credits or receive any pro-rated bonuses for their contributions.
