Rockstar North Fires 31 Employees Amid Unionization Bid

Shares fell sharply in the gaming industry after 31 employees were dismissed from Rockstar North, the developer behind the popular Grand Theft Auto series, in October. The mass sacking allegedly occurred due to the staff's attempt to unionize, a claim denied by the company. According to former workers, the dismissals were a direct result of their efforts to discuss working conditions in a private online forum. The majority of the dismissed employees were based at Rockstar North's Edinburgh headquarters, with some also working in London. The Independent Workers' Union of Great Britain (IWGB) has called the dismissals a "ruthless act of union-busting." IWGB representative, Henry Chango-Lopez, stated, "This is a clear attempt to silence workers who are fighting for their rights. We will continue to support our members and fight for their reinstatement." Rockstar North has maintained that the dismissals were due to "gross misconduct," specifically the discussion of confidential information, including specific game features from upcoming titles, in a public forum. The company claimed that this was a breach of their confidentiality agreement. However, former employees dispute this, arguing that the information was not sensitive and that the discussion was in a private online forum. Rockstar North is one of the UK's largest game developers, and its upcoming GTA 6 game is expected to be one of the best-selling games of all time. The game's development has been shrouded in secrecy, with few details released to the public. The delay of the game's release from 2025 to 2026 has also been attributed to the mass sacking and the subsequent disruption to the development process. The gaming industry has been criticized for its treatment of workers in the past, with many developers facing allegations of poor working conditions and low pay. The IWGB has been at the forefront of the fight for workers' rights in the industry, with several high-profile campaigns in recent years. The current status of the dismissed employees is uncertain, with many still awaiting news on their reinstatement. The IWGB has vowed to continue fighting for their rights and has called on Rockstar North to reinstate the dismissed workers. The company has yet to comment on the IWGB's demands.