GTA VI Studio, Rockstar Games, Accused of Targeted Firings

• Rockstar Games faces backlash for firing almost 40 employees ahead of its GTA VI release in 2026.
• IWGB, a workers’ union, condemned these “ruthless” firings, calling the move “calculated.” 
• Take-Two, the parent organization of Rockstar Games, justified the move by accusing the terminated individuals of “gross misconduct.”

Rockstar Games, the developer studio behind the most anticipated Grand Theft Auto VI, is currently under fire for abruptly removing about 30 to 40 employees across their U.K. and Canadian offices. 

The Independent Workers' Union of Great Britain (IWGB) tagged the action "unlawful and retaliatory," and "calculated," as all of the sacked employees were apparently a part of IWGB’s private Discord channel. These employees, allegedly, were also involved in the process of forming a union at Rockstar.

Alex Marshall, President, IWGB, had called out the company publicly and attributed their decision to be "the most blatant and ruthless act of union busting in the history of the games industry." 

He further stated that Rockstar Games, through this act, had insulted "their fans and the global industry." He claimed that the company did not care about the law and the "lives of the workers who bring in their billions."

As per the IWGB President’s official statement, the union intends to “pursue every legal claim possible,” and stand by the affected employees till they “are reinstated and receive interim relief.”

Rockstar Games’ Response to Being “Calculated” and “Unlawful”

Alan Lewis, the head of global corporate communications at Take-Two Interactive, the parent organization of Rockstar Games, said that the organization "terminated a small number of individuals for gross misconduct, and for no other reason." 

He further highlighted that Rockstar Games strives to provide “positive work environments and ongoing career opportunities" to its "best-in-class creative teams,” and so the gaming company will always find support from its parent organization regarding its “ambitions and approach.”

Workers’ Rights Curbed by Rockstar Games?

The timing of this termination is critical, as the Edinburgh-based development studio stands roughly almost seven months away from the GTA VI release (May 26, 2026). GTA itself is one of the most popular and profitable video-game franchises in the world, and any kind of labor issues could threaten the image of Rockstar Games.

Nevertheless, IWGB claims that many of the affected employees were on work visas and had medical issues, and therefore, could lose access to health schemes post the termination.

The conflict between the union organizing efforts by workers and corporate behaviors has brought attention to the gaming industry's labour issues.

Spring McParlin-Jones, chair of the IWGB Game Workers Union, had also criticized Rockstar’s actions, noting that Grand Theft Auto VI is projected to earn around $10 billion USD (£7.6 billion) next year, which is "enough to end world hunger for a year." She further said the action depicted the importance of money over people, calling it "a flagrant attack on workers’ rights."