Rockstar Games is facing an unprecedented wave of protests. This morning, at 8:00 a.m., a demonstration was organized in front of the London offices of Take-Two, the studio’s parent company, in reaction to the dismissal of several employees. According to the IWGB union, at the origin of this action, these employees were sanctioned for having attempted to organize collectively around the development of GTA 6.
This move follows the dismissal of 30 to 40 employees last week. Rockstar claims that these dismissals are linked to the distribution of confidential information in a public forum. The employees affected, all based in the United Kingdom or Canada, were members of a private union group on Discord. The IWGB, for its part, denounces an attempt at intimidation, believing that the reason given masks a desire to break any attempt at unionization.
“Rockstar has crossed the red line”: the frontal accusation of the IWGB union
In a video posted on social media, the IWGB directly accuses the studio. “Rockstar, the creators of GTA, have crossed the red line. They have fired over 30 employees, all members of the IWGB union, in a blatant act of union repression. Their only goal is to intimidate and silence staff.”
The union doesn’t stop there. He continues: “Not only is it illegal, but it is also a blatant attack on workers’ rights and the well-being of the population.”
The tone is unambiguous, accusing the company of acting “like the villains of its own game” by choosing to “betray both workers and fans” rather than supporting the peaceful development of GTA 6.
Between social pressure and economic issues, Rockstar under tension
Take-Two responded with a statement, indicating that “these measures have no connection with the right of everyone to join a union or participate in union activities”, and specifying that the dismissed employees had “disseminated and discussed confidential information in a public forum, in violation of our internal regulations”.
Since the massive 2022 GTA 6 leak, Rockstar has strengthened its cybersecurity policy and imposed a return to the office five days a week in 2024, which the IWGB called a unilateral and unconcerted decision. Tensions around working conditions continue to grow.
This morning’s demonstration is the first visible response. On social networks, reactions are divided: some Internet users mention an “obvious error” by employees, while others call for collective action against Rockstar.
GTA 6 remains scheduled for May 2026. Despite very limited communication – only two trailers and a few visuals – the game is expected to be the biggest launch in the history of gaming. But at this rate, it might not just be the game that’s making the headlines.