There is no calm in the Rockstar North studio, the giant name of the game world. Dozens of former employees who worked in the highly anticipated Grand Theft Auto VI (GTA 6) project and were recently dismissed are protesting in front of the company's Edinburgh office and demanding to be reinstated. GTA 6 dismissed employees, are also demanding compensation, arguing that they were unfairly dismissed.
The developers explained the process they went through and their demands in an exclusive interview with the YouTube channel “People Make Games”. announced it to the whole world. This situation reveals that there is a serious employee rights crisis going on behind the scenes of one of the game industry's biggest projects.
Center of the Protest: Rockstar North Edinburgh Office
Rockstar North, one of the main development studios of Rockstar Games and located in Edinburgh, has become the focus of the protests. According to information obtained, a total of 30 to 40 employees were dismissed from the UK and Canada offices. The fact that most of those laid off are experienced members of the GTA 6 development team also raises concerns about the future of the project.
Company officials claimed “leak of confidential data” and “gross abuse” as the reason for the dismissals. However, GTA 6 dismissed employees he states that these accusations are completely unfounded and that they have not been presented with any concrete evidence. This situation clearly shows that there is a deep disagreement between the two parties.
The fired developers claim that their employment contracts were terminated in short five-minute meetings without being granted rights of defense. It is even stated that some employees were fired by phone calls while they were on sick or paternity leave. This situation raises serious questions about how suddenly and irregularly the process was carried out.
“The Impact of Allegations of ”Gross Misconduct” on Careers
One of the biggest sources of concern for former employees is the use of the phrase “gross misconduct” as a reason for dismissal. This statement is considered a serious blemish on an employee's resume and can almost completely eliminate their ability to find a new job in the industry. Developers emphasize that this labeling has damaged their professional reputations and put their careers in jeopardy.
One employee sums up the seriousness of the situation by saying, “If I have gross misconduct written on my resume for the rest of my life, it will be a huge obstacle to my future career prospects.” Therefore, GTA 6 dismissed employees they demand not only the return to their jobs, but also the restoration of their reputation.
The Union Struggle Begins: IWGB Stepped Into Action
In this crisis, the Independent Workers“ Union of Great Britain (IWGB) played an important role by standing by the dismissed employees. The IWGB described this move by Rockstar Games as ”one of the most blatant and brutal acts of union busting in the history of the gaming industry." The union claims that the real reason for the dismissals is that employees started to organize for union activities and better working conditions.
IWGB made an official call to Rockstar Games management, demanding that all dismissed employees be immediately reinstated and compensated for the financial losses they suffered. The union announced that it had initiated legal proceedings against Rockstar on the grounds of unfair dismissal and obstructing union activities, after attempts at reconciliation failed. This case may set a precedent for the fight for employee rights in the gaming industry.
Rockstar's Defense and Repercussions in the Industry
Rockstar Games and its parent company Take-Two Interactive deny the allegations. The company argues that the dismissals have nothing to do with union activities and are entirely a result of violation of company policies and sharing of confidential information on a Discord channel. Take-Two CEO Strauss Zelnick stated that they fully support Rockstar, stating that they are proud of their company culture and value their employees.
However, these statements were met with reaction by the union and those who were laid off. IWGB stated that the Discord channel in question is not a public forum, but a private group consisting only of Rockstar employees and union representatives. They emphasized that there was no project leak in this group, only issues such as working conditions and union rights were discussed.
What's Happening in the GTA 6 Development Process?
At the center of this whole crisis is GTA 6, which has been awaited for more than ten years. The major leak incident in 2022 caused Rockstar to increase security measures. Earlier this year, the company asked its employees to return to the office five days a week for efficiency and safety reasons, a decision that was criticized by some employees.
Following the layoffs, morale within the studio is claimed to be at its lowest level in history. According to anonymous sources, there is an atmosphere of fear and distrust among the remaining employees. How this situation will affect the development process and final quality of GTA 6 has become one of the biggest topics of curiosity in the gaming world.
“Crunch Culture” Discussions from the Past
Rockstar Games has come to the fore in the past with allegations that employees are working extremely long hours, up to 100 hours a week, to meet deadlines, known as “crunch culture”. Especially what happened during the development process of Red Dead Redemption 2 caused the company to receive serious criticism about working conditions. Although the company states that it has made improvements in this regard, recent events are once again damaging Rockstar's image on employee rights.
The current crisis is a critical turning point not only for GTA 6 dismissed employees , but also for labor standards and union rights in the entire gaming industry. The outcome of the legal process initiated by the union and the steps Rockstar Games will take have the potential to shape the future of the industry. All eyes will now be on both the protests in Edinburgh and the courtrooms.
