In a new report, it has been claimed that ‘dozens of’ Rockstar Games employees have been fired for misconduct in a wave that might have been a twisted form of union busting.
The report originally published by Bloomberg’s Jason Schreier claims that between 30 and 40 Rockstar Games employees in the UK and Canada were terminated, and they were allegedly all part of a ‘private trade union chat’ on Discord.
‘Blatant and Ruthless’ Layoffs at Rockstar Games
Rockstar Games is preparing to launch Grand Theft Auto 6 in just a few months, all being well. The studio has been piecing together the open-world crime epic for years, and fans are eagerly awaiting the delivery of what will arguably be the largest game launch in history.
But the most recent bit of news involving Rockstar Games isn’t all that positive.
Bloomberg recently reported that Rockstar Games laid off 30 to 40 employees, labelling their dismissal terms as ‘misconduct’. However, a spokesperson of the Independent Workers’ Union of Great Britain (IWGB) claimed that it’s an attempt at preventing unionization amongst the team members:
Rockstar has just carried out one of the most blatant and ruthless acts of union busting in the history of the games industry. This flagrant contempt for the law and for the lives of the workers who bring in their billions is an insult to their fans and the global industry.
Take-Two refuted the claims, suggesting that all the firings took place because of ‘gross misconduct,’ but all the employees were dismissed at the same time, per reports, and all of them were found to be in a private chat on Discord related to unionization.
Rockstar Games has mostly avoided the waves of layoffs that have hit the industry over the last couple of years. Take-Two, the company’s parent firm, hasn’t fared as well. In April 2024, the gaming titan laid off around 5% of all employees in a bid to streamline the business.
Do you think these alleged dismissals sound unlawful? Let me know what you’re thinking on the Insider Gaming Discord server
For more Insider Gaming coverage, check out the news that ARC Raiders won’t have crazy ‘Call of Duty’ skins
Grant has been gaming for 30+ years and in the industry for 10+. You'll probably find him playing a post-apocalyptic game or an extraction shooter somewhere.
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