Rockstar Games faces mounting political pressure in the UK over its October dismissal of 34 employees, with multiple Members of Parliament accusing the GTA 6 developer of refusing to cooperate with appeals and investigations into the controversial firings.
The company has maintained that the workers were terminated for gross misconduct and breaking confidentiality by sharing private information via Discord. Rockstar claimed the employees leaked unreleased game features for upcoming titles. The IWGB Game Workers Union, however, characterizes the dismissals as union busting, noting that all 34 fired UK staff were union members and the Discord server was created to discuss organizing efforts.
An employment tribunal ruled in January that the dismissed workers did not qualify for temporary financial relief. Judge Frances Eccles noted that because three employees fired in Canada were not union members, union activity could not have been the sole motivating factor. A full tribunal hearing remains pending to determine whether union busting occurred.
Chris Murray, MP for Edinburgh East and Musselburgh, said he raised the matter during Prime Minister's Questions after hearing from affected constituents. One fired worker was forced to leave the country after losing their visa sponsorship. Murray stated that Rockstar's justification for the dismissals has shifted throughout the process.
"Rockstar must answer this case with transparency and full cooperation and uphold the right to appeal," Murray said. Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer called the case "deeply concerning" in December and ordered a ministerial investigation.
Tracy Gilbert, MP for Edinburgh North and Leith, criticized what she called Rockstar's failure to engage meaningfully with staff and unions. "Workers asking for fairness, transparency and respect should not be met with silence and closed doors," she said.
Dr. Scott Arthur, MP for Edinburgh South West, visited Rockstar facilities last year with other lawmakers and says discussions with senior management emphasized fair treatment. "It appears that these principles are not being consistently upheld in practice," he said.
An investigation by People Make Games detailed the Discord interactions that preceded the firings. The dismissed staff had discussed an internal Slack policy change from Rockstar management aimed at reducing off-topic conversations. Sharing and discussing this internal memo appears to have provided Rockstar's legal grounds for termination, though the company maintains the real issue was leaked game content.
A Rockstar spokesperson told IGN that the judge's interim ruling suggested the union activity claim was unlikely to succeed. That determination came before the full hearing, which will examine evidence from both sides.
Take-Two, Rockstar's parent company, defended its labor practices when questioned about the matter. CEO Strauss Zelnick said the company was "incredibly proud of our labor relations."
Author Emily Chen: "Three UK politicians publicly calling out a major game studio for stonewalling investigations is a rare moment, and it signals that labor disputes in gaming are finally getting serious political attention."
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