Former Rockstar UK Staff Bring Unfair Dismissal Tribunal Case

A group of former UK-based developers has initiated an employment tribunal against Rockstar Games, alleging unfair dismissal during the production of Grand Theft Auto VI.

Represented by the Independent Workers' Union of Great Britain (IWGB), 23 former employees argue they were unlawfully targeted and blacklisted over trade union activity following dismissals in October 2025. The case lands at a sensitive moment for Rockstar, with GTA VI among the most closely watched releases in the industry and labour relations under scrutiny across major studios.

Rockstar Games and parent publisher Take-Two Interactive deny the accusations, stating the dismissals stemmed from gross misconduct. Rockstar said staff breached confidentiality agreements by discussing sensitive game details and disparaging leadership in an external Discord server that included third parties.

The Glasgow Employment Tribunal commenced hearings on September 10, 2026, with proceedings scheduled to run through October 16, 2026. A ruling could set precedent for how large publishers handle union activity and confidentiality enforcement during long-running AAA production cycles.