Rockstar Faces Union-Busting Allegations After Dozens Fired

Union says 30–40 workers were terminated; Take-Two cites “gross misconduct.”

Rockstar Games, the studio behind Grand Theft Auto, is under fire after dozens of employees were dismissed across its UK and Canada offices. A British trade union alleges the move was meant to thwart organizing efforts; the company’s parent, Take-Two Interactive, says the workers were let go for “gross misconduct.”

What happened

The Independent Workers’ Union of Great Britain (IWGB) says between 30 and 40 employees were terminated and notes all were part of a private Discord chat related to union activity.
Take-Two maintains the dismissals stemmed solely from misconduct and says it supports Rockstar’s approach.

Why it matters

The clash lands at a sensitive moment for one of the industry’s most closely watched studios. Rockstar tightened security after a major 2022 leak of GTA VI footage and faced criticism in early 2024 when it pushed a full return to office, citing security. The new allegations raise questions about how far studios can go to protect intellectual property and workplace control without crossing into anti-union retaliation.

The competing narratives

IWGB’s view: The union calls the move a stark example of union suppression, arguing the common thread among those dismissed was their participation in organizing discussions.
Rockstar/Take-Two’s view: Company representatives say the terminations had nothing to do with union activity and were triggered by serious policy violations.

What’s next

The dispute is likely to move into legal and regulatory arenas in the UK and potentially Canada, where employment protections and union rules differ. Expect filings from worker representatives and continued scrutiny of Rockstar’s security-first posture as it marches toward the planned release of Grand Theft Auto VI, which industry analysts expect to be among the best-selling games ever.

Original reporting: ‘Grand Theft Auto’ Studio Accused of Union Busting After Firings by [Jason Schreier (Bloomberg)]. (Bloomberg) https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2025-10-31/-grand-theft-auto-studio-accused-of-union-busting-after-firings

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