Thu, 06 Nov 2025

Thu, 06 Nov 2025 Grand Theft Auto studio accused of 'union busting' after sacking workers

A union representing people in the gaming sector said 31 people were fired at Rockstar's UK studios.
Rockstar Games, the maker of Grand Theft Auto (GTA), has been accused by the Independent Workers' Union of Great Britain (IWGB) of sacking 31 staff members in the UK on October 30 to prevent them from unionizing. The IWGB claims that management at Rockstar is trying to silence workers who are advocating for better working conditions and collective rights. The trade union has held protests outside Rockstar's offices in Edinburgh and London, with organizers accusing the company of "the most blatant and ruthless act of union busting" in the gaming industry's history. Rockstar has responded by saying that employees were fired for sharing confidential information, but the IWGB disputes this claim, arguing that the dismissed staff members were involved in discussions about forming a union. The dispute comes as Rockstar is gearing up to release its highly anticipated GTA 6 game in May 2026, and tensions around information security at the studio are high. But union president Alex Marshall believes that management's actions are motivated by a desire to suppress workers' right to collective bargaining. "This is not about leaking confidential information," Marshall said. "This is about Rockstar trying to silence its own employees and prevent them from having a say in their working conditions." The controversy has sparked concerns among industry experts, with one senior lecturer at Kings College London saying that non-disclosure agreements (NDAs) are being used by gaming firms to create a culture of secrecy that makes it difficult for workers to speak out about poor working conditions. Several dismissed employees have spoken out about the unfair treatment they received from management, describing a "power imbalance" in conversations with their superiors.
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