Rockstar employees form union amid ongoing legal claims
Rockstar employees have established the Rockstar Game Workers Union (RGWU) as a subsidiary of the Independent Workers’ Union of Great Britain (IWGB). The union was prepared to launch publicly after achieving 10% membership threshold among Rockstar staff, a significant milestone for worker organization in the gaming industry.
However, shortly after reaching this threshold, Rockstar took swift action. In October 2025, the company dismissed 34 employees across UK and Canadian operations for what parent company Take Two Interactive characterized as “gross misconduct”—specifically for “distributing and discussing confidential information in a public forum.” Investigation identified the forum as a Discord server operated by the IWGB for union organizing purposes.
The dismissals disproportionately targeted union members and supporters. Of those terminated, 31 were confirmed union members in the UK, while the three Canadian employees were identified as union-sympathetic. The IWGB has accused Rockstar of union busting, arguing the mass terminations represent retaliation for unionization efforts. The timing—immediately following the union’s achievement of significant membership threshold—lends weight to these allegations.
The incident has sparked ongoing legal proceedings challenging the dismissals’ legality and propriety. This dispute represents an important flashpoint in labor relations within the gaming industry, reflecting broader tensions between major publishers and worker organizing efforts.