Rockstar Games has been accused of carrying out the most brazen and ruthless act of union busting in the history of the games industry after firing between 30 to 40 employees on Thursday, with all of those affected being members of a private trade union Discord chat. The firings are taking place just seven months ahead of the release of Grand Theft Auto VI, which was originally scheduled for this fall but has been delayed until May 26th, 2026.
The Independent Workers’ Union of Great Britain (IWGB) claims that the firings were a calculated attack on workers who had attempted to organize a union at Rockstar. IWGB president Alex Marshall described the move as "flagrant contempt for the law and for the lives of the workers who bring in their billions," adding that the Rockstar Union would continue to organize for respect and better working conditions despite this.
Rockstar parent company Take-Two Interactive has maintained that the firings were due to gross misconduct, stating that they support Rockstar's ambitions and approach. However, the IWGB will pursue every legal claim possible to ensure its members are reinstated and receive interim relief.
The move is seen as a stark contrast to Rockstar’s previous claims of prioritizing positive work environments and ongoing career opportunities for their employees. The firings have sparked outrage among industry workers and fans alike, with many questioning the company's commitment to worker welfare in light of their union-busting tactics.
The Independent Workers’ Union of Great Britain (IWGB) claims that the firings were a calculated attack on workers who had attempted to organize a union at Rockstar. IWGB president Alex Marshall described the move as "flagrant contempt for the law and for the lives of the workers who bring in their billions," adding that the Rockstar Union would continue to organize for respect and better working conditions despite this.
Rockstar parent company Take-Two Interactive has maintained that the firings were due to gross misconduct, stating that they support Rockstar's ambitions and approach. However, the IWGB will pursue every legal claim possible to ensure its members are reinstated and receive interim relief.
The move is seen as a stark contrast to Rockstar’s previous claims of prioritizing positive work environments and ongoing career opportunities for their employees. The firings have sparked outrage among industry workers and fans alike, with many questioning the company's commitment to worker welfare in light of their union-busting tactics.
Oh my gosh, this is so not cool! 
Rockstar's actions are super shady 
. They're basically trying to silence workers who were just trying to organize and fight for better conditions 
. It's like they think they can just get away with crushing their employees' spirits 
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. This move is a clear attack on the law and basic human rights 
. Rockstar's claiming it's about "gross misconduct", but we all know that's just code for "we don't want to deal with union organizers" 
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This whole thing raises so many red flags 
. If they're going to start firing people left and right, what's next? Will they start eliminating entire departments or something? 
The thought alone is giving me anxiety 
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i'm shocked that take two is backing them out and not speaking out against this blatant attack on workers rights 
the fact that it happened right before grand theft auto 6s release is just icing on the cake 
what a way to kick off a new game series 
. According to Glassdoor, Rockstar Games has a rating of 3.5/5 stars, but I bet that number would drop to -5 if they didn't reinstate these employees 
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If we take a look at the game industry revenue, it's projected to reach $190 billion by 2026 (source: Newzoo). That's a lot of money that could be going towards better working conditions and employee welfare. The average salary for a Rockstar Games employee is around $80k/year (source: Payscale). Multiply that by 30-40 people, and you're looking at a significant financial hit 
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they're already makin' billions off GTA VI 
and respect the union 
this is getting out of hand... Rockstar's gotta be one of those companies that think they can just do whatever they want without consequences 
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and it's even more messed up that they were all part of the same Discord chat. this is like, totally not okay on so many levels 
. I'm all for companies pushing to meet deadlines and make games, but at what cost? You'd think that if they're going to delay GTA VI by another 6 months, they could've handled the whole union thing a bit more... diplomatically 
. And yeah, maybe Rockstar needs to take a hard look at how they're treating their employees and start making some real changes 
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! They're basically trying to silence the voices of their own employees who dared to organize a union 
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and The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time... we had some real heroes then. Now it's all about the benjamins and exploiting workers for the sake of a few extra bucks 
Rockstar might think they can outsmart 'em, but I got faith in these workers. They'll keep fighting and making sure their voices are heard.
. I mean, come on, if you're gonna fire 30-40 employees, just own it and say what you did was to protect your bottom line 
. Rockstar needs to start putting people over profits, or else they'll face the consequences 