Former Rockstar Games employees that were fired by the company in late 2025 are now seeking interim relief at a preliminary employment tribunal, the Independent Workers’ Union of Great Britain (IWGB) has confirmed.
The Grand Theft Auto VI developer confirmed in early November last year that it had terminated over 30 staff members across its UK and Canadian offices, stating that they were dismissed due to “gross misconduct.” Following this, it was alleged by the IWGB that Rockstar dismissed the employees because they were part of a IWGB Game Workers Union channel on Discord, where they were either union members or looking to organise a union at the developer.
The IWGB has now issued a statement to IGN confirming that the preliminary employment tribunal hearing has commenced at the Glasgow Tribunals Centre in Scotland where they hope “urgently needed relief” will be granted for the ex-staff members.
We hope this week’s tribunal will grant urgently needed relief to the workers whose lives were turned upside down by Rockstar’s brutal union-busting, leaving them and their families without incomes, without secure futures, and in some cases without even the right to remain in the country they have made their home.
However, no matter the outcome of this interim hearing, we remain confident in the strength of the case we have brought against Rockstar Games. We reiterate our firm belief that Rockstar broke the law when it summarily dismissed 31 of our members, and we look forward now to the day we face them in court for a full and substantive tribunal hearing.
In response, Rockstar Games has maintained that it fired the employees in question due to breaching confidentially agreements in regards to unreleased projects. Its statement reads as follows:
Rockstar categorically denies the claim being heard in today’s hearing. We have consistently made clear that we took necessary action against a group of individuals across the UK and Canada who discussed highly confidential information, including relating to game features from upcoming and unannounced titles, in an insecure and public social channel. This was a breach of long-standing and well-understood confidentiality policies.
This channel contained at least 25 non-Rockstar employees, including employees of competitor game developers, a video games industry journalist, as well as dozens of anonymous, unidentifiable members. Meanwhile, employees who posted union-supportive messages, but who did not breach confidentiality policies, were not dismissed.
[Source – IGN]