GTA 6 Developers Ask Rockstar for Union Recognition — and They're Prepared to Go to the UK Government if Necessary
Rockstar developers have applied for voluntary recognition of the IWGB Game Workers Union in a bid to make the Grand Theft Auto 6 developer the second UK games studio with a recognized union.
If recognized, the union would give its members additional protections and rights via a formal structure for collective bargaining on issues including pay transparency, flexible working, and excessive overtime (crunch), the IWGB said in a statement issued today. Disco Elysium developer ZA/UM is currently the only UK studio with formal union recognition.
The IWGB claims to represent a “significant portion” of the Rockstar workforce across its offices in Edinburgh, Dundee, Lincoln, Leeds, and London, and that its existence has contributed to “unprecedented” average pay rises and financial incentives for crunch for the first time ever.
Josh Walter, a senior QA tester at Rockstar Lincoln, said: “Rockstar leads the industry in the games we create. We believe it can also lead the industry in how it treats the people who make them. There is so much that is special about the studio and the work we put out. We want to protect that. When people are confronted with pay disparities, excessive overtime or a lack of flexibility in arrangements, they are not in the best position to do their best work. We want to sit down with management and build a future where both the games and the conditions of the people who make them are as strong as possible.”
Shanti Easton-Steel, production co-ordinator at Rockstar North, added: “This is a landmark moment for the Rockstar Game Workers Union, and hopefully for the industry as a whole. It’s thanks to the hard work of so many of our members — both those currently with us and those who were fired last October — that we are now in a strong enough position to pursue formal recognition. Whilst it’s painful that our dismissed colleagues are not here to share this milestone moment, the best way we can honour their contribution now is by succeeding in the fight they helped us to start, and making them proud to have been a part of it.
“This recognition bid only comes after years of effort by our members and could not have happened without the support of many of our non-member colleagues too. We hope lots more people will now feel comfortable to join the union, but even for those that don't, we ask that they remain supportive of the cause as we move forward with momentum towards our key objectives of pay transparency, fairer crunch practices and better flexible working arrangements.”
A spokesperson from Rockstar Games issued IGN the following statement: “We strive to make the best games possible by giving our talented teams world-class work environments and ongoing career opportunities. We have fostered a culture which is focused on teamwork, excellence, and kindness, and where we support and reward the team across all levels of the business through competitive compensation and benefits policies. We are proud that as a result, our employee retention is well above the industry standard.
"We have received a request from a union seeking to discuss voluntary recognition. We value an open and constructive dialogue with all stakeholders and will arrange to meet.”
The recognition application comes amid an ongoing legal dispute over what the IWGB claims was union busting by Rockstar. Rockstar has insisted the employees it fired late last year were dismissed because they leaked game features for upcoming and unannounced titles in Discord, not because they were trying to unionize. 34 members of staff at Rockstar were dismissed, 31 in the UK and three in Canada, sparking protests outside the office of GTA 6 developer Rockstar North in Edinburgh, Scotland, and outside parent company Take-Two’s office in London.
The IWGB is challenging the dismissals through a Glasgow employment tribunal, which in January rejected an application for interim relief filed on behalf of the fired developers .
“We welcome the decision, which is consistent with Rockstar’s position throughout," a Rockstar Games spokesperson told IGN at the time. “We regret that we were put in a position where dismissals were necessary, but we stand by our course of action as supported by the outcome of this hearing.”
A final hearing is scheduled to begin in September 2026, where it will be decided whether workers were unlawfully fired for trade union activity.
This all comes ahead of the launch of GTA 6 in November, which is expected to be the biggest entertainment launch of all time. The IWGB said the opening of preorders last week reportedly generated $3 billion.
“Many people assumed that Rockstar dismissing 31 union members last year would weaken organising at the company — but in fact the union is now stronger than ever,” Alex Marshall, President of the IWGB Union, said.
“Over the last four years, workers have built a significant presence across Rockstar’s sites, and now represent a large proportion of the workforce. Applying for union recognition is the next step in strengthening their presence in the workplace. Rockstar has maintained that it respects workers’ trade union rights. This is now an opportunity for it to demonstrate that in practice.
“GTA 6 has reportedly already generated more than $3 billion in preorder sales. Rockstar bosses can easily afford to sit around the table with the people whose hard work created these games, and give them a meaningful voice in their workplace.”
Rockstar can refuse to acknowledge the union, which would then open the door to the IWGB submitting its application for statutory recognition from the Department for Business and Trade's Central Arbitration Committee (CAC). But could its members go on strike? The IWGB told IGN “members will decide on the organising strategy they use to secure” recognition.
Photo by Lesley Martin/PA Images via Getty Images.
Wesley is Director, News at IGN. Find him on Twitter at @wyp100. You can reach Wesley at wesley_yinpoole@ign.com or confidentially at wyp100@proton.me.