Rockstar Games Offices Face Protests Over GTA 6 Developers’ Alleged Union Busting

Protests Erupt Over Union Busting Accusations at Rockstar and Take-Two

Protests have emerged in Edinburgh outside Rockstar North’s studio and at Take-Two Interactive’s headquarters in London, where demonstrators accuse the gaming companies of engaging in “union busting.” This reaction follows the dismissal of numerous staff members—approximately 30 to 40 employees—allegedly aimed at suppressing unionization efforts.

Organized by the Independent Workers’ Union of Great Britain (IWGB), the demonstrations took place on November 6. Protesters congregated outside both offices, brandishing banners and demanding the reinstatement of the terminated workers.

Calls for reinstatement and back pay compensation pic.twitter.com/g8zlUFiCno

— GTABase.com (@GTABase) November 6, 2025

Both Take-Two and Rockstar have dismissed the allegations. A spokesperson from Rockstar stated in an interview with Bloomberg that the dismissals were due to “leaking company secrets, ” and they emphasized that the actions taken were unrelated to employees’ rights to participate in union activities.

During the London protest, an anonymous statement from one of the terminated employees was read aloud, expressing frustration over the circumstances of their dismissal:

Employee statements being read out via IWGB pic.twitter.com/S5XIauUG2f

— GTA News 🔴 RockstarINTEL.com (@GTAonlineNews) November 6, 2025

“I was dismissed without any notice, evidence, or opportunity to defend myself, ” the statement read.“My only transgression was discussing workplace conditions with colleagues in a private union chat. We were not engaging in any form of misconduct or threatening the company’s integrity.”

Protesters also rallied with chants, “Rockstar, Rockstar, you’re disgusting. We charge you with union busting, ” reflecting their outrage at the company’s actions.

Journalist Jason Schreier, writing for Bloomberg, initially reported on the dismissals, noting that some employees accused Rockstar of trying to “silence” internal organization efforts. Rockstar asserts that the firings were based on violations of company policy, claiming the affected staff had disclosed sensitive information on a public forum involving non-employees. This assertion was echoed by parent company Take-Two, which insisted the terminations were for “gross misconduct and nothing else.”

This controversy arises as Rockstar gears up for the highly anticipated release of Grand Theft Auto 6, set for May 26, 2026. Currently, development is said to be in its final stages, with heightened scrutiny on internal teams following a massive leak of GTA 6 gameplay clips in late 2022. In light of the ongoing issues, many developers have expressed dissatisfaction with Rockstar, citing concerns about unmet promises during the crunch phase of development and the forced end of remote work policies.

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