GTA 6 Labor Rights Showdown
Fired Rockstar Workers Seek GTA 6 Fan Support for Union Labor Rights Case
Key Points
Fired staff breakdown and protests: 31 UK staff and 3 Canadian colleagues were dismissed, with protests outside Rockstar North in Edinburgh and Take-Two's London offices.
Merchandise details: the 'Rockstar 34 Solidarity' T-shirts are priced at £25; preorder via IWGB's Game Workers site runs until August 30, with shipping expected by mid-September; proceeds fund the Fighting Fund.
Final hearing update: the final hearing is due to begin in Glasgow next month.
Stock market impact: Take-Two’s market value fell by about $3.75 billion on the GTA 6 delay announcement.
Disputed cause of firings: Rockstar says the layoffs were due to leaking confidential information about GTA 6 and other titles, while the IWGB frames it as union busting and notes prior dismissals for leaks (Lincoln UK 2025, US 2023, India 2025).
Thirty-four former Rockstar Games developers, fired last year, are urging fans not to boycott GTA 6. Instead, they want supporters to buy union-made merchandise to fund their legal fight Edinburgh News. The final hearing of their case is set to begin in Glasgow next month.
The Independent Workers Union of Great Britain (IWGB) says the October 2024 firings were union-busting. Rockstar says the workers were dismissed for leaking confidential information about GTA 6 and other titles GamingBolt.
Workers Ask Fans to Fund Legal Fight, Not Boycott
The fired workers are selling 'Rockstar 34 Solidarity' T-shirts for £25 each. Proceeds go directly into a Fighting Fund to cover legal costs eteknix.com. Preorders run until August 30, with shipping expected by mid-September.
The workers say a boycott would hurt their former colleagues who worked hard to make the game. 'Don't boycott GTA 6,' they said, pointing fans toward the merchandise instead Edinburgh News. GTA 6 is scheduled to launch on November 19, 2026.
Rockstar Says Leaks, Not Union Activity, Caused Firings
Rockstar maintains it has a zero-tolerance policy on information leaks. The company says the 31 UK staff and 3 Canadian workers were let go for sharing confidential details about GTA 6 and other unannounced titles GamingBolt.
Rockstar points to a pattern of similar dismissals. Prior firings for leaks happened in Lincoln, UK in 2025, the US in 2023, and India in 2025 NotebookCheck. The company says none of these actions were connected to union organizing.
IWGB Calls It Union-Busting, Protests Hit Edinburgh and London
The IWGB frames the case as a direct attack on workers' rights in gaming. The union says the workers were fired for talking in a trade union Discord server, not for leaking secrets MassivelyOP.
Workers have already taken to the streets. Protests were held outside Rockstar North's offices in Edinburgh and Take-Two's London headquarters Edinburgh News. Take-Two, Rockstar's parent company, saw its market value drop by about $3.75 billion after GTA 6's release was delayed.
Glasgow Hearing Could Set Labor Rights Precedent in Gaming
The final hearing, set to begin in Glasgow next month, could be a landmark moment for game workers across the UK. Both sides see the outcome as bigger than 34 jobs eteknix.com.
The IWGB says the case is a test for whether game companies can fire union members without consequences. The workers hope the Fighting Fund — and fan support — gives them the resources to see it through GamingBolt.
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