Rockstar Games, the developer of highly anticipated Grand Theft Auto VI, has been accused by a trade union of engaging in ruthless union busting through mass firings. Between 30 to 40 employees were let go from the UK and Canadian offices last week, with all those affected being part of a private Discord chat for the Independent Workers' Union of Great Britain (IWGB). The union claims that these employees were already members or attempting to organize a collective voice at Rockstar.
IWGB president Alex Marshall called out Rockstar's actions as "the most blatant and ruthless act of union busting in the history of the games industry." He added that despite this calculated attack on workers organizing for better conditions, the IWGB remains undeterred. The union will pursue every legal claim possible to ensure their members are reinstated and receive interim relief.
On the other hand, Alan Lewis from Take-Two Interactive, Rockstar's parent company, defended the firings as "for gross misconduct, and for no other reason." He emphasized that Rockstar strives to make high-quality entertainment properties with positive work environments and ongoing career opportunities. However, his statement raises questions about why such firings would be classified only as gross misconduct without further explanation.
These mass firings come seven months ahead of the highly anticipated Grand Theft Auto VI's release date. Originally set for this fall, the game was delayed to May 26th, 2026, citing a need for extra time to deliver quality content.
IWGB president Alex Marshall called out Rockstar's actions as "the most blatant and ruthless act of union busting in the history of the games industry." He added that despite this calculated attack on workers organizing for better conditions, the IWGB remains undeterred. The union will pursue every legal claim possible to ensure their members are reinstated and receive interim relief.
On the other hand, Alan Lewis from Take-Two Interactive, Rockstar's parent company, defended the firings as "for gross misconduct, and for no other reason." He emphasized that Rockstar strives to make high-quality entertainment properties with positive work environments and ongoing career opportunities. However, his statement raises questions about why such firings would be classified only as gross misconduct without further explanation.
These mass firings come seven months ahead of the highly anticipated Grand Theft Auto VI's release date. Originally set for this fall, the game was delayed to May 26th, 2026, citing a need for extra time to deliver quality content.
, you know? like rockstar's all about makin' that dough with grand theft auto and now they're tryin' to silence their own people. but here's the thing - what does it even say about a company when they're willin' to lose talented employees over some private discord chat 
? i mean, is it really just about "gross misconduct" or are there other factors at play that we're not bein' told about?
? is it about the benjamins or is it about bein' part of somethin' bigger than yourself?
about what happened at Rockstar Games. I mean, they're supposed to be all about making these amazing games, but now it sounds like they're more worried about keeping the union in check 
. It's just so unfair that they're letting go of people who were trying to organize and advocate for better working conditions 
. I don't get why you'd fire someone without even giving them a proper hearing... it's like, what's the point of even having a quality work environment if you're just gonna sweep all the issues under the rug 
? Can we talk about something else? Did you know that my favorite pizza place is now offering a new menu item with this crazy spicy sauce... I need to try it ASAP!
the IWGB sounds super organized tho, i hope they get those employees back on the job soon! 
theyre basically tryna silence ppl from speakin up about work conditions and now its become some kinda national scandal... the fact that they said it was gross misconduct with no further explanation just smells fishy to me. take-two interactive should really be held accountable for this 
u gotta wonder whats really goin on at Rockstar Games... I mean, 30-40 employees gettin axed from the UK and Canadian offices? That's like, a whole team of people just disappearin' into thin air. And it's all because they were tryin to organize or somethin'. Like, what's the big deal? They wanna work better conditions, fair pay, that kinda thing... 
. I don't get why Rockstar can't just talk to the union about their concerns instead of trying to break them 
according to an article by gaming industry news, there was a 35% increase in unionization among video game workers last year alone. it's like the games industry is finally waking up and realizing that workers are more than just faceless avatars
in 2022, the IWGB reported a 250% increase in membership applications from UK gaming industry workers. rockstar's move will only fuel this growth...
I wonder what really went down in those private chats... Was it just about better work conditions or was there something more?
and what's up with all these firings, is Rockstar trying to scare away potential workers or something? 
It's all about control and power, you know? The IWGB isn't backing down though - I gotta respect that. It's about time someone stood up for workers' rights in this industry. And yeah, it raises some serious questions about what really went down with those firings. Was it just a "gross misconduct" thing or was there more to it? 
I mean, isn't that kinda... antithetical to creating a positive work environment? 
I mean, i know its the games industry and all, but come on... mass firings just seems like a really shady move. Can someone explain what "gross misconduct" even means in this context? Is it like, really bad behavior or something? And why would they fire people who are already part of a union trying to organize for better working conditions? Doesn't that kinda go against their whole "positive work environment" thing? 
I'm all confused about what's going on here...
but it's so not cool that they went ahead and fired 30-40 people without even giving them a chance to talk things out 
the union is totally right, this is some serious union busting tactics 
and I'm loving the IWGB for fighting back 
. It's like they're trying to silence workers who are just trying to make a living and have a voice in their workplace. The fact that it happened on Discord, which is basically a public platform, feels really sketchy. And 30-40 people losing their jobs over it? That's crazy!