A Glasgow Employment Tribunal judge has rejected a request for interim relief from former Rockstar Games staff, who claim they were dismissed for unionizing rather than leaking Grand Theft Auto 6 information. This decision means the affected workers will not be reinstated on payroll while awaiting a full hearing. The Independent Workers’ Union of Great Britain (IWGB) brought the action, alleging unlawful dismissals.
The high-profile case highlights growing tensions between gaming industry giants and their employees over working conditions and unionization rights. Rockstar, known for its blockbuster Grand Theft Auto series, insists the firings were due to breaches of confidentiality related to the eagerly anticipated GTA 6, a claim disputed by the union. This legal battle sets a precedent for how employee activism is perceived and handled within the sector.
The situation has drawn significant attention from both the gaming community and labor rights advocates, especially given the secretive nature of game development and the increasing push for better protections for developers. The workers were reportedly dismissed without prior notice or disciplinary hearings, raising questions about due process and corporate responsibility.
Rockstar’s defense vs. union’s claims
Rockstar Games has maintained that the dismissals of 34 staff in November 2025 were a direct consequence of confidential information leaks regarding Grand Theft Auto 6, shared within a private Discord server. According to reports cited by GamesIndustry.biz, the company presented evidence alleging gross misconduct. However, Lord John Hendy KC, representing the fired workers, argued that no actual leak occurred, only a “risk” of one, questioning the severity of the alleged offense.
Judge Frances Eccles, in her judgment, found it unlikely that the primary reason for dismissal was IWGB membership. She noted that three of the affected workers were Canadian and not IWGB members, thus their union involvement could not be a factor. Furthermore, some IWGB organizing committee members who expressed union support on Discord were not dismissed, complicating the union-busting claim. Rockstar welcomed the decision, stating it was consistent with their position throughout the process.
Judicial scrutiny and procedural concerns
The judge acknowledged several procedural irregularities in Rockstar’s handling of the dismissals. Eccles noted that staff were informed of their termination with “very little, if any, notice,” without suspension or prior disciplinary hearings. Crucially, the employees were not given an opportunity to respond to allegations of wrongdoing before the dismissal decision was made, as detailed in the judgment.
Moreover, the evidence Rockstar relied on—comments from a Discord server—was “obtained without the knowledge of employees,” described by former staff as “covert monitoring.” While the judge did not grant interim relief, the IWGB remains optimistic about the full hearing. They stated the interim judgment offered a “glimpse of Rockstar’s flimsy grounds for defence,” bolstering their claims of unlawful firings, a sentiment echoed in their official statement. The union points out that the judge found “no evidence of the respondent having suffered any adverse consequences as a result of these postings.”
While the immediate request for interim relief has been denied, the legal battle between Rockstar Games and its former employees, supported by the IWGB, is far from over. This case underscores the complex interplay between corporate confidentiality, employee rights, and the evolving landscape of unionization within the global technology and gaming industries. The upcoming full hearing will be pivotal in determining the extent of employer obligations and employee protections in an era of digital communication and increasing labor activism, setting a precedent for future disputes.
