Allegations of Union-Busting at Rockstar Games — What It Means for Workers and the Games Industry

What Happened?

On 30 October 2025, per the IWGB, around 31 workers at Rockstar’s UK studios were dismissed. The union claims they were part of a Discord group discussing forming a union, under the IWGB umbrella. Rockstar (through its parent company Take‑Two Interactive) responded by stating that the fired employees were dismissed for “distributing and discussing confidential information in a public forum” and that the action was “in no way related to people’s right to join a union or engage in union activities.” The IWGB strongly disputes this account, stating no confidential information was leaked publicly and that the dismissals were retaliatory against union organisation. These events occurred against the backdrop of the upcoming release of Grand Theft Auto VI (GTA 6), which is highly secretive and widely anticipated.

Why the Dispute Matters

1. Workers’ Rights and Legal Protections

In the UK, trade-union membership and participation in union organising are protected activities under employment law. If the dismissals were indeed because of union activity, this could be unlawful retaliatory dismissal. But the company’s claim — that the firings were due to sharing confidential information — introduces the complicating factor of NDAs and internal confidentiality policies, especially in the games industry where leaks can be highly damaging.

2. NDAs, Secrecy and the Game-Industry Culture

Industry commentators say that NDAs and strict secrecy are pervasive in large game studios, making it difficult to access or even investigate working conditions. These same secrecy policies can raise concerns when employees seek a collective voice: do confidentiality obligations suppress legitimate labour organising? One academic described the situation as a “textbook” use of NDAs to blur the line between leaked information and protected union activity.

3. Precarity, Visa Sponsorship and Power Imbalance

The IWGB alleges that among the dismissed employees were those whose visas or employee-health schemes were tied to their employment status — raising a question about the power imbalance between the employer and the staff. A fired employee quoted by the union said they were “just one person” facing management alone. In industries with fluid employment, sponsorship and contract ties, the threat of termination can suppress organising.

4. Reputation and Commercial Stakes

Rockstar’s upcoming release of GTA 6 is expected to be one of the highest-grossing launches ever. The timing of these dismissals — ahead of a major release — may raise questions about whether the company was acting with the upcoming commercial stakes in mind. The union alleges that management “prioritised union busting by targeting the very people who make the game.”

Stakeholder Positions

The Union’s Position

• The IWGB argues the dismissals were a “calculated attack” on staff organising for a collective voice, describing them as the “most blatant and ruthless act of union busting in the history of the games industry.”

• It claims that employees were in a private union-organising Discord channel — all of whom were union members or organisers.

• The union is exploring legal claims to challenge the dismissals and seeks reinstatement of the workers.

Rockstar / Take-Two’s Position

• They assert that dismissals were due to “gross misconduct” — specifically, sharing confidential company information — and that the action was unrelated to union activity.

• In communications, the company emphasised it supports creativity, positive work environments and career opportunities.

  
  

Legal and Ethical Considerations

• Legal: If union membership or organising was a factor in the dismissals, UK employment law may provide protection. The challenge is that confidentiality breaches and union rights can overlap, making it difficult to disentangle motives.

• Ethical: The situation raises ethical questions about how large game studios treat their creative workforce, and whether the power dynamics allow for fair representation.

• Industry Culture: The case highlights the tension between secrecy-driven development (especially for big-budget games) and the rights of employees to organise and speak up about working conditions.

Implications for the Games Industry

• For workers: This case may encourage game-industry workers to seek unionisation or collective organising, especially in high-pressure environments where “crunch” and long hours are common.

• For employers: Studios may need to review how confidentiality policies interact with employees’ rights to association and representation.

• For the market: With growing public attention on labour practices in tech and games, reputational risks are mounting. If a major developer like Rockstar is seen as unfair to its staff, consumer, investor or media backlash may follow.

• For labour law precedent: If the union succeeds legally, this could set precedent in the games industry for how union-organising is treated, particularly in contexts heavily regulated by NDAs.

What Should Workers and Studios Do?

Recommendations for Workers

• Members of studios should document any organising efforts clearly, and ensure representation is involved when disciplinary procedures occur.

• Be aware of confidentiality agreements, but also understand that they do not override fundamental labour rights such as unionising.

• Seek union or legal advice promptly if dismissals appear to be tied to protected activity.

Recommendations for Studios

• Review internal policies to ensure that any dismissal for confidentiality breaches is clearly and transparently justified, with evidence, and not conflated with union activity.

• Foster open channels for employees to raise concerns or organise without fear of retaliation.

• Consider whether high-secrecy cultures inadvertently suppress legitimate workplace rights and adjust practices accordingly.

Conclusion

The dismissal of over 30 staff by Rockstar Games — as alleged by the IWGB — spotlights the fragile balance between corporate confidentiality and worker rights in one of the most high-stakes sectors today. For the games industry, this isn’t just another media story: it’s a potential turning point in how labour, secrecy, and creativity align or clash.

As the situation develops — including legal claims and possible employment-tribunal outcomes — we’ll continue to monitor the implications for workers, studios and the global games-ecosystem.

For more on labour organising in creative industries, see the IWGB’s original statement.

Please check in with Justice Watchdog for updates.