According to Windows Central, Rockstar Games fired between 30 and 40 employees last week across its UK and Canada studios, sparking union-busting accusations. The Independent Workers’ Union of Great Britain claims the workers were discussing unionization in a Discord group chat before their termination. IWGB President Alex Marshall called it “one of the most blatant and ruthless acts of union busting in the history of the games industry.” Meanwhile, parent company Take-Two Interactive defended the firings as being for “gross misconduct” only. The Screen Actors Guild-American Federation of Television and Radio Artists has now voiced solidarity with the affected workers. This controversy comes as Grand Theft Auto 6 remains scheduled for its May 26, 2026 launch after being delayed out of 2024.
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The gaming union landscape is changing
Here’s the thing: this isn’t happening in a vacuum. The gaming industry is experiencing a slow but steady wave of unionization efforts, particularly at Microsoft-owned studios. We’re seeing unions form across Blizzard Entertainment teams working on World of Warcraft, Overwatch 2, Diablo, and other major franchises. And it’s not just Activision Blizzard – Bethesda Game Studios, ZeniMax Online Studios, and multiple QA teams have also organized. Some of these unions are already working to ratify contracts, while others like the ZeniMax QA team have successfully negotiated agreements.
rockstar”>The timing couldn’t be worse for Rockstar
Now Rockstar finds itself in the spotlight during the most critical period for Grand Theft Auto 6’s development. With a 2026 release date locked in, the pressure is immense to deliver what’s likely to be one of the highest-selling games of all time. But firing dozens of employees over union discussions? That creates immediate production risks and PR headaches. And when SAG-AFTRA weighs in with public solidarity, you know this isn’t going away quietly. Basically, Rockstar’s parent company Take-Two is betting that their “gross misconduct” explanation will hold up against what looks like pretty clear retaliation.
What this means for game developers
So where does this leave the actual people making these billion-dollar games? For developers watching this unfold, the message seems clear: union discussions can cost you your job, even at the industry’s most successful studios. But here’s the counter-message from labor organizers: without collective bargaining, you’re vulnerable to exactly this kind of treatment. The gaming industry has long struggled with crunch culture, job instability, and now what appears to be aggressive anti-union tactics. With Microsoft taking a more neutral stance toward unionization at its acquired studios, Rockstar’s approach feels particularly heavy-handed by comparison. Will this scare other developers away from organizing? Or will it galvanize more union efforts across the industry?
