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Union Seeks Emergency Relief for Fired GTA 6 Developers as Rockstar Pushes Back
A high-stakes legal battle between Rockstar Games and the Independent Workers’ Union of Great Britain (IWGB) intensified this week as a UK employment tribunal heard arguments over the dismissal of dozens of Grand Theft Auto 6 (GTA 6) developers. The union is seeking interim relief for the fired workers, while Rockstar strongly denies claims of union-busting, asserting the layoffs were due to serious confidentiality breaches.
What Is Interim Relief and Why It Matters
Interim relief is a rare but powerful legal mechanism in UK employment law. If granted, it would result in the dismissed developers being temporarily reinstated on Rockstar Games’ payroll while they await a full tribunal hearing. This could also mean restored work visas for affected staff, a critical issue for workers whose right to remain in the UK is tied to their employment.
The preliminary hearing took place on Monday, January 5, at the Glasgow Tribunals Centre. A decision is expected on whether the workers receive this short-term protection as the case progresses.
Union Claims “Brutal Union-Busting”
The IWGB represents 31 UK-based Rockstar Games employees who were fired late last year, part of a wider group of 34 dismissals across the UK and Canada. According to the union, the workers were targeted for organizing and communicating through “private and legally protected trade union channels.”
In a statement issued, the IWGB described the firings as “brutal union-busting,” arguing that lives and livelihoods were upended overnight. The union maintains that, regardless of the interim relief decision, it is confident that Rockstar Games broke employment law and will ultimately be held accountable at a full tribunal hearing.
The dispute has already sparked protests outside Rockstar Games North’s Edinburgh studio and Take-Two Interactive’s London offices, drawing global attention from the gaming industry and labor rights advocates.
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Rockstar Denies All Allegations
Rockstar Games has categorically rejected the union’s claims. In a detailed response, the company said the dismissals had “nothing to do with union membership” and were instead the result of developers allegedly sharing highly confidential information about GTA 6 and other unannounced titles in a public Discord channel.
According to Rockstar, the channel included non-employees, competitors, a games journalist, and anonymous users—posing a significant leak risk. The company emphasized its “zero-tolerance” policy toward leaks, citing previous dismissals in the UK, US, and India for similar breaches.
Rockstar also denied maintaining any blacklist of union members, stating it did not even know whether the dismissed employees belonged to a union at the time.
Political Spotlight and Industry Implications
The controversy has reached the highest levels of UK politics. Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer called the case “deeply concerning” in Parliament, reaffirming that all workers have the right to join a union without fear of retaliation. Local MP Chris Murray has also criticized Rockstar’s dismissal process, saying he was not convinced UK employment law was properly followed.
As the tribunal deliberates, the outcome could set a significant precedent for labor relations in the global games industry—especially as GTA 6 remains one of the most anticipated releases of the decade.
