Rockstar Games accused of mass layoffs ahead of GTA 6 release

Grand Theft Auto 6 may be only six months from release, but tensions appear to be rising at its developer, Rockstar Games. Earlier this week, the studio reportedly laid off between 30 and 40 employees across its UK and Canadian offices. According to reports, those dismissed were involved in efforts to unionize.

Did Rockstar accused of mass layoffs ahead of GTA 6 release

Bloomberg first reported the news, noting that all the affected staff were part of a private Discord chat linked to the Independent Workers’ Union of Great Britain. The union confirmed that the group included both official members and other employees who were working to establish a union within Rockstar.

"Rockstar has just carried out one of the most blatant and ruthless acts of union busting in the history of the games industry," said IWGB president Alex Marshall in a statement. "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."

A spokesperson from Rockstar's parent company, Take-Two Interactive, said that it supported Rockstar's decision and alleged that the employees were terminated "for gross misconduct, and for no other reason."

This situation could eventually be resolved in court, depending on how the legal systems in the UK and Canada handle it — a process that could take quite some time to unfold.

Meanwhile, Rockstar Games recently posted a job listing forecasting that Grand Theft Auto 6 will achieve the biggest launch in gaming history. That prediction seems plausible, given that GTA 5 surpassed 215 million copies sold earlier this year, while GTA Online remains a major source of revenue for the company.

Take-Two CEO Strauss Zelnick has also maintained that he isn’t concerned about AI posing a threat to GTA, reiterating his long-standing confidence in the franchise’s unique position.

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