Rockstar Games workers publicly launch union and fight for 31 fired colleagues

Rockstar Games workers have publicly launched the Rockstar Game Workers Union (RGWU), a branch of the Independent Workers' Union of Great Britain (IWGB). The announcement comes as the IWGB prepares to take Rockstar to court over the firing of 31 staff members last October — a move widely described as union busting.

In a video posted across its social media channels, the RGWU was direct: "We're determined to win justice for the 31 fired workers, and to show studios like Rockstar that they cannot get away with this disgusting treatment of the people whose talent, skill, and creativity are what capture their audiences, and generate their billions." Rockstar has maintained the dismissed workers were let go for gross misconduct. The IWGB called that decision "the most blatant and ruthless act of union busting in the history of the games industry" — and a subsequent report suggested the workers were fired for sharing internal company messages on an employee-and-union-only Discord server.

The fallout has been significant. More than 200 Rockstar North employees signed a letter to management demanding the fired workers be reinstated. The case reached UK Parliament, and in December, Prime Minister Keir Starmer called the dismissals "deeply concerning." Beyond the legal fight, the RGWU is pushing for pay transparency, flexible working, and an end to crunch, with workers joining from Rockstar offices in Edinburgh, London, Leeds, Lincoln, and Dundee.

All of this is playing out as Rockstar gears up to release GTA 6, still expected to hit PS5 and Xbox Series X/S this November. Earlier reports floated a $100 price tag, and while Take-Two CEO Strauss Zelnick dodged a firm number in April, he insisted the company's "job is to charge way, way, way less of the value delivery."