Rockstar Games is facing one of its most serious public controversies in years, and this time the fallout has reached the highest levels of UK government.
The unexpected termination of 31 GTA 6 staff members has escalated public concern about procedural fairness, labor rights, and potential attempts to undermine union efforts.
The matter has now drawn parliamentary attention, led Prime Minister Keir Starmer to comment, and initiated a formal government review, which is unusual for the gaming industry.
Why Is Rockstar Under Government Scrutiny?
The developers of Grand Theft Auto 6, Rockstar Games, are now on the UK government’s radar due to a string of disputed dismissals.
With more than 30 GTA 6 developers abruptly dismissed and union-busting accusations gaining traction, public pressure has intensified to the point that Prime Minister Keir Starmer says ministers will look into the case.
The controversy stems from late October, when Rockstar abruptly terminated 31 employees across its UK and Canadian teams.
The company justified the decision by claiming the workers had engaged in “gross misconduct” after sharing confidential internal messages in a public setting.
But the IWGB, representing a significant portion of those let go, flatly rejects Rockstar’s claim. To the union, the firings were not about misconduct but about silencing an emerging effort to organize.
Many of those dismissed had been part of a private Discord server where unionization was discussed, which the union argues makes the pattern of removals too pointed to be coincidental.
How Did the Issue Escalate Beyond Rockstar?
The firings immediately drew backlash, with staff signing letters against the decision, protests occurring outside Rockstar offices, and the IWGB filing legal claims for union victimisation and blacklisting.
As scrutiny intensified, local MP Chris Murray raised the issue in Parliament, using Prime Minister’s Questions to highlight worries that staff were fired without fair support, that Rockstar failed to explain its actions, and that the union’s accusations of targeted retaliation held weight.
He then questioned the Prime Minister on whether he agrees that even the most profitable companies must adhere to UK labour regulations and respect workers’ rights to unionise.
Starmer’s response was unequivocal. He called the situation “deeply concerning,” stressed that every worker has the absolute right to join a union without fear of retaliation, and confirmed that government ministers will review the case directly.
How Did Rockstar Handle Its Meeting With Government Officials?
Private talks between Rockstar and MPs have only fueled more doubt, especially after Murray and Edinburgh MPs Tracy Gilbert and Scott Arthur were told they couldn’t enter Rockstar’s offices without signing a non-disclosure agreement—an unusually restrictive condition for elected officials.
The MPs refused, the NDA requirement was withdrawn, but according to Murray, the meeting that followed failed to reassure anyone.
Rockstar reportedly could not provide clear justification for why immediate dismissal was necessary, nor could they explain in detail what specific actions each employee took to warrant such punishment.
Murray walked away with lingering doubts, convinced that proper procedure might not have been observed. Meanwhile, reports from Bloomberg and People Make Games filled in more of the picture.
Based on the reports, the employees who were removed had previously exchanged and discussed a management post about tightened Slack policies, which itself wasn’t a sensitive document.
If this was the primary justification Rockstar relied on to classify the behavior as “gross misconduct,” it opens up a larger question about whether the response was proportionate or if that message was merely used as an easy legal cover. Union representatives and dismissed staff argue the latter.
Some have described the experience as an aggressive and unprecedented crackdown meant to intimidate workers and discourage future organizing.
The fact that more than 200 current Rockstar North employees signed letters of support shows how strongly the firings affected the studio’s staff.
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