Rockstar Dismissed More Than 30 Staff in a Union Dispute Still Before a Tribunal
The union calls it the most brazen union-busting in UK games history. Rockstar says it was gross misconduct. No court has decided, and the trial runs this autumn.
On October 30 and 31, 2025, Rockstar terminated a group of employees across its UK and Canadian studios. That much is undisputed. Almost everything else about the case is contested, and no finding of fact exists — so this entry sets out both positions and adjudicates neither.
The headcount is reported inconsistently. Initial reporting said between 30 and 40; later reporting and the union settled on 34, being 31 in the UK across Edinburgh, Dundee and Lincoln, and 3 in Canada. Some coverage says 31. The safest formulation is "more than 30."
The affected staff were members of, or organising with, the Independent Workers' Union of Great Britain, and participants in a private trade-union Discord channel.
The IWGB's position: this was "the most ruthless act of union busting in the history of the UK games industry," and it is seeking reinstatement for every member. Union president Alex Marshall said Rockstar's "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." The union maintains the Discord was private and the only outside parties in it were labour organisers.
Rockstar's position: the company said it "took action against a small number of individuals who were found to be distributing and discussing confidential information in a public forum, a violation of our company policies," and that the dismissals were "in no way related to people's right to join a union or engage in union activities." It later told IGN the material included "specific game features from upcoming and unannounced titles." Take-Two's Alan Lewis said Rockstar "terminated a small number of individuals for gross misconduct, and for no other reason."
What followed: protests outside Rockstar North in Edinburgh and Take-Two's London offices on November 7; a further demonstration at the Scottish Parliament on November 18; formal tribunal claims alleging trade union victimisation and blacklisting; and an open letter signed by more than 200 current Rockstar North staff — VGC reported 220 — demanding their colleagues' reinstatement.
In January 2026 the tribunal refused the claimants' application for interim relief, Judge Frances Eccles finding it could not conclude it appeared likely the tribunal would find union membership was the principal reason for dismissal. That is not a ruling on the merits. In June 2026 the tribunal rejected Rockstar's attempt to strike the blacklisting allegations, allowing all claims to proceed. The full trial is listed for September 10 to October 15, 2026 — five weeks before the game ships.
In May 2026, UK Rockstar workers publicly launched the IWGB-affiliated Rockstar Game Workers Union across all five UK offices.