Take-Two Interactive, Rockstar's parent company, has maintained this position, insisting the dismissals had nothing to do with union activity. However, the Independent Workers' Union of Great Britain has accused Rockstar of engaging in what it describes as the most blatant and ruthless act of union-busting in the history of the video game industry. They've formally filed legal claims against Rockstar, alleging trade union victimization and blacklisting.
The fired employees were allegedly members of a private Discord server where they shared and discussed an internal message from Rockstar management about changes to the company's Slack messaging policy. It's this sharing and discussion of internal company policy that Rockstar has apparently used as its legal justification for the terminations.
Enter Chris Murray, the Member of Parliament representing Edinburgh East and Musselburgh, the constituency where Rockstar North's headquarters are located. After failing to see eye to eye with Rockstar in previous dialogues, Murray sought to bring the matter directly to Prime Minister Starmer during the weekly Prime Minister's Questions session. His question was pointed and specific: whether the Prime Minister agreed that all companies, regardless of size or profitability, must comply with UK employment law and that all workers have the right to join unions.
In his response, Starmer described the situation as "deeply concerning" and affirmed that every worker has the right to join a trade union. The Prime Minister committed that his government is determined to strengthen workers' rights and protect employees from unfair consequences for union participation. Starmer promised that government ministers would investigate the specific case and keep Murray updated on their findings.
Having the UK government formally investigate a major corporation's employment practices brings regulatory scrutiny and potential legal consequences that extend far beyond public relations concerns. If investigators determine that Rockstar violated employment law or engaged in illegal union suppression, the company could face substantial penalties.
It's a critical point in time for Rockstar and Take-Two. The award-winning studio is currently deep into the final development on GTA 6, which is easily the most anticipated video game in history and projected to make multiple billions in revenue within its first week of launching alone.
Rockstar had already delayed GTA 6, from its original May 2026 launch to November 2026, much to the dismay of Take-Two's shareholders. The last thing Take-Two and Rockstar likely want is the government from across the pond breathing down their neck, which could force them into a similar situation following the launch of Grand Theft Auto III decades ago, as confirmed by Rockstar co-founder Dan Houser.
The video game industry has long had complicated relationships with labor organizing. Crunch culture, job insecurity, and concerns about exploitation have led to growing interest in unionization among game developers. Major companies have often resisted these efforts, viewing unions as threats to their 'operational flexibility' and profitability. Thus, what happens with the Rockstar case could have serious implications for the rest of the industry.
For now, the thirty-one fired workers wait while legal processes unfold and government ministers conduct their investigation. As for Rockstar, the studio has officially released the "A Safehouse in the Hills" update for Grand Theft Auto Online, along with promos for GTA+ and PlayStation owners.
