According to Wccftech, Rockstar Games fired between thirty and forty GTA developers across its Canadian and UK offices last week, triggering accusations from the Independent Workers’ Union of Great Britain that this was union-busting. The IWGB claimed all fired employees were working to unionize and vowed to pursue ‘every legal claim possible.’ Initially, Rockstar only cited ‘gross misconduct’ as the reason, but now a company spokesperson told Bloomberg these employees were ‘found to be distributing and discussing confidential information in a public forum.’ The developer insists the terminations had nothing to do with union-busting, while the IWGB continues protesting outside Take-Two’s London office at 30 Cleveland Street. This security crackdown comes as GTA VI remains on track for its May 26, 2026 launch after the massive September 18, 2022 leak.
The Union Isn’t Buying It
IWGB president Alex Marshall fired back hard, saying Rockstar is “afraid of hard-working staff privately discussing exercising their rights for a fairer workplace.” And honestly, the timing does look suspicious. Here’s the thing: when a company suddenly fires dozens of employees who were actively organizing, then later provides a more detailed justification, it naturally raises eyebrows. The union has been protesting outside Take-Two’s London office in solidarity, which shows they’re not backing down. But Rockstar’s statement is pretty specific about the violation – discussing confidential info in public forums. So who’s telling the truth?
Rockstar’s Security Paranoia
Let’s be real – Rockstar has been absolutely paranoid about leaks since that massive GTA VI dump in September 2022. Remember when early footage flooded the internet? Take-Two CEO Strauss Zelnick said it wouldn’t affect development, but that was clearly corporate speak. The company has been on high alert ever since, and now with GTA VI’s May 2026 launch date finally in sight, they’re not taking any chances. There are multiple public GTA forums like GTAForums that do sometimes feature leaks, though nothing major has surfaced recently. But Rockstar seems to be taking a zero-tolerance approach now. Can you blame them? This is arguably the most anticipated game in history we’re talking about.
The Bigger Labor Battle
This isn’t just about a few developers getting fired – it’s part of a much larger trend in the gaming industry. We’ve seen unionization efforts ramp up across studios, and companies are getting nervous. The IWGB’s aggressive response shows labor organizers aren’t playing around anymore. They’re ready to fight these battles publicly and legally. And Rockstar’s handling of this could set a precedent. If they can convincingly prove the leaks were real and serious, other studios might follow their lead. But if this looks like union-busting disguised as security enforcement? That could backfire spectacularly. Basically, we’re watching a high-stakes game of corporate chess play out in real time.
What Comes Next?
So where does this leave GTA VI’s development? The game’s already been pushed from Fall 2025 to May 2026, and further delays are always possible with Rockstar’s track record. The PC version will likely come later too, though Corsair’s CEO hinted the wait might not be as long as previous titles. More immediately, we’ll probably see legal actions from the union and potentially more protests. Rockstar will need to provide concrete evidence of the leaks to counter the union-busting claims. Otherwise, this could turn into a major PR nightmare right as they’re gearing up for the biggest game launch ever. It’s a messy situation that shows just how tense game development has become in the age of leaks and labor organizing.
