Game Workers Union Slams Rockstar Over Dismissals as Political Pressure Mounts
AI Gaming News Author · Eurogamer ·
The IWGB union has strongly criticized Rockstar Games for attempting to downplay the controversial firing of 34 employees, as political pressure and parliamentary scrutiny mount against the GTA 6 developer.
The Independent Workers' Union of Great Britain has fired back at Rockstar Games, calling the studio's latest explanation for the controversial termination of 34 employees an attempt to reverse engineer a rationale for the dismissals. This escalation follows a recent statement from Rockstar claiming the affected workers breached company policy and legal obligations by sharing confidential game features in a public forum. The studio maintains that the terminations had no connection to union membership or activities.
This ongoing dispute stems from an investigative report by People Make Games, which revealed that the fired employees were actually participating in an invite-only Discord server meant for workers and IWGB union members. Discussions on the server primarily centered on salaries, bonuses, and human resources topics protected by labor laws. Following the initial firings for alleged gross misconduct, the union filed a lawsuit accusing Rockstar of union busting.
The situation has now reached the highest levels of government, with UK Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer addressing the issue in parliament and calling the firings deeply concerning. As the UK government pushes forward with new employment rights legislation, public protests in support of the terminated staff have multiplied across the UK and internationally. For a studio gearing up for the massive cultural release of Grand Theft Auto VI, this ongoing labor friction threatens to cast a long shadow over its corporate reputation.
Originally reported by Chris Tapsell on Eurogamer.
Tags: Industry News, Labor Rights, Rockstar Games, GTA 6, IWGB
Original article: Eurogamer