Layoffs in the games industry are nothing new, but outright firings on a noticeable scale aren’t quite as common, especially at a company like Rockstar Games. As Bloomberg’s Jason Schreier reports, however, between 30 and 40 employees were fired from the UK and Canada offices this past Thursday.
While reportedly due to “misconduct,” the Independent Workers’ Union of Great Britain (IWGB) believes the firings were to curtail unionization, of which the affected employees were members. They were part of a private Discord group and apparently made plans to organize.
“Rockstar has just carried out one of the most blatant and ruthless acts of union busting in the history of the games industry. This flagrant contempt for the law and for the lives of the workers who bring in their billions is an insult to their fans and the global industry,” said IWGB president Alex Marshall.
Take-Two Interactive spokesperson Alan Lewis said that the firings were due to “gross misconduct, and for no other reason,” and “we fully support Rockstar’s ambitions and approach.”
The firings may have been under the guise of security concerns, especially following the infamous leak of in-development footage of Grand Theft Auto 6 back in 2023. Without further confirmation from the company or Take-Two, however, it’s difficult to say for sure.
As for Grand Theft Auto 6, it’s on track to launch on May 26th, 2026, but has seen its share of alleged development troubles.
