Rockstar Games Faces Legal Challenge After Firing Dozens Over Alleged Union Activity

Rockstar Games is under legal fire from the Independent Workers’ Union of Great Britain (IWGB) after the studio dismissed 30 to 40 employees accused of union involvement. The union claims these firings are not just unfair—they’re illegal.

This clash comes as Rockstar, known for the upcoming Grand Theft Auto 6, stands accused of union busting by cutting ties with staff assembling for better workplace conditions. The developers had been working to form The Rockstar Games Workers Union, aiming to secure improved rights just as pressure was mounting ahead of GTA 6’s anticipated launch.

IWGB Calls Out Rockstar: ‘Plain and Simple Union Busting’

The IWGB is clear in their stance: “We are representing employees who were dismissed by Rockstar Games in circumstances that we believe amount to victimization and collective dismissal linked to trade union activity,” stated their legal team, as shared with Eurogamer. The union says it tried to negotiate directly with Rockstar, but claims the publisher refused to meet, leading to a formal legal filing.

IWGB President Alex Marshall didn’t hold back. “We are confident that what we’ve seen here is plain and simple union busting, and we will mount a full legal defence with our expert group of caseworkers, legal officers and barristers,” Marshall said. He warned other tech companies to take note: “This case stands as a warning to any employer in the games industry and beyond who thinks they are able to act with impunity against organized workers – we will not be intimidated.”

Marshall also took aim at Rockstar’s reported tactics, pointing out that private spaces like union Discord servers “have protections” and that corporate contracts do not outrank UK law.

Rockstar Stands Firm, Take-Two Backs Dismissals

Rockstar has its own version of events. The company insists the terminations were justified, telling Bloomberg that the staff in question were dismissed for “gross misconduct, and for no other reason”. Parent company Take-Two is fully backing this stance, saying it “fully support[s] Rockstar’s ambitions and approach.”

Sources say the employees dismissed were just over 10 percent of Rockstar’s UK workforce; a critical threshold, as that’s the number needed to apply for formal union recognition with the government. This means much more was at stake than just a few jobs: the recognition and voice of organized labor in one of gaming’s biggest companies.

Meanwhile, People Make Games, a known investigative channel, reported meeting with several former employees who demonstrated outside Rockstar’s Edinburgh offices. The group was pushing for improved conditions as pressure intensified with GTA 6’s looming release. It’s not the first storm around Rockstar’s workplace practices, but this time, the legal stakes are higher, and public. The workers, backed by IWGB, are seeking justice and official recognition, not just a private settlement.

If a UK court finds Rockstar at fault, it could trigger wider industry repercussions and embolden similar movements in other game studios, especially as union activism in gaming gains real momentum. Adding more complexity, the industry recently learned that GTA 6 has been delayed again, bumping the release to next November. For Rockstar, that’s more than just a PR headache; it’s a test of leadership as scrutiny grows both inside and out.

Union Organizing Stirs a Bigger Conversation

With the IWGB refusing to back down and Rockstar holding its ground, the battle isn’t just about firings. It’s about who controls the future of work inside one of gaming’s most influential studios, and whether collective organizing can genuinely crack the industry’s heavily fortified structures. This legal fight, now on record, could shape the power balance in UK game development for years to come, well beyond the fate of a single blockbuster release.