Mass layoffs in the gaming industry are not uncommon, but the dismissal of employees still attracts attention — especially when it comes to Rockstar Games. According to Jason Schreier of Bloomberg, the company fired 30 to 40 employees from offices in the UK and Canada last Thursday.
The official reason given was "misconduct", but the Independent Workers’ Union of Great Britain (IWGB) claims that the dismissals are related to employees' attempts to unionize. According to representatives of the organization, those fired were in a private group on Discord and were planning to create a union.
"Rockstar has just committed one of the most blatant and ruthless acts of union suppression in the history of the gaming industry. This blatant disregard for the law and the lives of the workers who make them billions is an insult to their fans and the entire global industry," said IWGB President Alex Marshall.
Take-Two Interactive representative Alan Lewis responded that the employees were fired "for gross violations and for no other reason," emphasizing full support for Rockstar's policies.
Some sources believe that the dismissals may have been related to increased security measures after the GTA 6 material leak in 2022.
