“Rockstar has tried to get away with Grand Theft Employment Rights” - Final hearing in Rockstar vs. GTA 6 fired employees begins this week
A final tribunal hearing begins September 10th in a significant employment rights case where 34 former Rockstar employees challenge the studio’s decision to fire them in November 2025. The fired staff, represented by the Independent Workers’ Union of Great Britain (IWGB), allege Rockstar unlawfully terminated their employment and blacklisted them for union activity and discussing a new company Slack policy.
Rockstar previously attempted to have the claims dismissed earlier this year, but the employment tribunal rejected that motion, allowing the case to proceed to its final hearing. The company now faces direct allegations that it breached employment law by firing workers due to their union membership and discussions.
The timing of the hearing, occurring shortly before GTA 6’s anticipated release and just weeks after the game’s Netflix reveal, has drawn significant public attention to the employment dispute. The IWGB is organizing a union rally on the opening day of proceedings, signaling the case’s importance to organized labor in the gaming industry. The outcome could set meaningful precedent for workers’ rights and union protections within major game development studios.