Rockstar Games, the studio behind the blockbuster Grand Theft Auto (GTA) franchise, is facing mounting criticism over allegations of excessive work crunch, obscure pay practices, and anti-union behaviour. What began in late 2025 with the firing of over 30 employees has since grown into a wider labour dispute, culminating in the formation of the Rockstar Games Workers Union (RGWU).
Union representatives met with Rockstar management for the first time in late July 2026, with negotiations over union recognition, overtime pay, and better working conditions officially underway.
The controversy began after Rockstar Games on 30 October 2025, fired between 30 to 40 employees. The studio’s parent company, Take-Two Interactive, said the employees had been dismissed for “gross misconduct.” Rockstar later clarified that the fired employees were allegedly distributing and discussing confidential information in a public forum, which violated company policy.
“The action was taken against employees who were discussing specific game features from upcoming and unannounced titles and other confidential information in a public forum, in breach of company policy and their legal obligations,” Rockstar Games stated to GameSpot.
This explanation was firmly rejected by the dismissed workers and the Independent Workers Union of Great Britain (IWGB), who argued that the real reason was union busting, and that many of the fired employees were part of IWGB.
“Rockstar has just carried out the most blatant and ruthless act of union busting in the history of the games industry. This flagrant contempt for the law and for the lives of the workers who bring in their billions is an insult to their fans and the global industry,” said IWGB President Alex Marshall in an official press release.
Following protests, the dismissal case continued with the issue being raised in the UK Parliament. In May 2026, current Rockstar employees launched their own union named the Rockstar Games Workers Union (RGWU).
The union is affiliated with IWGB and garnered widespread attention after it accused Rockstar of maintaining crunch culture during the development of Grand Theft Auto VI. Members of the union alleged that during major development periods, some teams working on GTAVI experienced weeks that could reach around 80 hours.
Additional allegations include lack of proper overtime compensation, unfair pay and bonus practices, reduced flexibility in remote/hybrid work, gender pay gap, employee safety, and toxic workplace culture.
“Rockstar leads the industry in the games we create. We believe it can also lead the industry in how it treats the people who make them,” RGWU said in a statement to Game Developer.
The union seeks formal recognition and workplace reforms. On 22 July 2026, union representatives of the RGWU held their first meeting with Rockstar management. The meeting was described as “a step in the right direction” by the union, saying that a roadmap had been secured for further negotiations.
“The meeting was a ‘step in the right direction’ as both parties agreed on a ‘roadmap for a speedy negotiation process’,” said RGWU to Sportskeeda.
The union also stated that if voluntary recognition fails, it is prepared to seek statutory recognition under UK labour law, which could legally force Rockstar to recognise the union if it represents a sufficient share of the workforce.
As of August 2026, Rockstar Games and the RGWU have not reached a final agreement, but formal negotiations remain ongoing. This marks the first major step toward addressing workers’ broader concerns over workplace conditions and employee rights, with the outcome expected to influence labour practices at one of the gaming industry’s most prominent studios.
For the thousands of developers working on the highly anticipated GTA VI, the stakes could not be higher.
