Rockstar North morale is said to be exceptionally low, and not necessarily because of another GTA 6 delay

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Recent layoffs at Rockstar Games have reportedly caused low morale, with some believing the studio is more focused on preventing its employees from unionizing than on completing Grand Theft Auto 6.

Good news about the next Grand Theft Auto finally arrived on Thursday, but it wasn’t what fans wanted to hear. The game, expected to be the biggest release in years, has been delayed by more than six months, disappointing many. After a long period of silence from Rockstar Games, fans were already beginning to worry.

To make matters worse, the developer has been worried about potential layoffs for a week, and this is understandably frustrating players who are eagerly awaiting updates from the studio.

Layoffs

Okay, so things aren’t looking great for GTA fans. Someone claiming to be a Rockstar employee – and GTAForums seems to have confirmed they work there – posted about how down everyone at the studio is after they let go of over 34 people. I saw the post shared by @videotechuk on X, and honestly, it sounds pretty rough.

The message detailed how developers received invitations to a meeting under the guise of a friendly chat, only to be presented with termination letters citing “gross misconduct.” This stemmed from posts on Discord where they reportedly shared private company information.

HR was instructed to briefly contact all absent employees, regardless of their response—even if they became distressed—or their individual circumstances, which included some who were already on leave due to layoffs. When the team asked for proof of any wrongdoing, none was given. The author also confirmed there was no sensitive information shared on the union’s Discord server.

Destroying the Union more important than GTA 6

The layoffs impacted a wide range of skilled professionals, including experienced developers, team leads, senior artists, animators, and programmers. These are people who are difficult to replace and crucial for developing a game, particularly a large and complex one like the upcoming Grand Theft Auto.

The post’s author thinks the layoffs happened because these employees were involved with the union, which had grown to 250 members. There’s worry that if Rockstar isn’t held accountable, it could encourage further suppression of the union’s efforts.

More than 34 of us have already been let go. Our union/employee Discord group once had over 250 members. We’re worried that if the company isn’t held accountable, they’ll continue making these cuts repeatedly.

Those of us still working are living in fear. We’re afraid to speak openly, even with each other, worried about losing our jobs. We avoid colleagues who are protesting, fearing consequences if we show support. The atmosphere in the studio is terrible. Instead of being excited about the future, we feel completely discouraged and have lost all trust in our leadership.

The most upsetting thing is that all we at the Union wanted was to help make Rockstar a better place to work – happier, fairer, and safer for everyone. It’s now clear that we care more about the wellbeing of our colleagues than the company itself does.

The union is continuing to strongly resist and is working through legal action and public campaigns to get all fired Rockstar employees their jobs back.

Look, this situation with Rockstar is huge for all of us who love their games. If they manage to brush this issue under the rug, it basically tells them it’s okay to keep mistreating their employees – to keep disrespecting them and even breaking the law. As a gamer, that’s just not something I can stand for.

If accurate, these details support the accusations the Independent Workers’ Union of Great Britain (IWGB) has leveled against Rockstar Games. Yesterday, union members protested outside Rockstar’s London office, and the event was reported on by GTABase.com.

On X (formerly Twitter), a group posted statements from three former Rockstar employees and a representative from the IWGB union. These accounts support claims previously made anonymously online. GTABase.com is encouraging people to share information about the recent layoffs, with the IWGB representative suggesting Rockstar appears to be prioritizing fighting the union over finishing GTA 6 on schedule.

Let’s be clear: Rockstar’s efforts to prevent a union are unacceptable and shouldn’t be ignored. The more than 30 employees who were fired were dedicated and skilled people who poured their passion into creating their games. By letting them go, Rockstar has shown that suppressing unionization is more important to them than delivering GTA VI on time, satisfying their fans, or treating their employees with basic respect.

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2025-11-07 14:03