Over 200 Rockstar employees sign open letter demanding fired colleagues be reinstated

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So, things are pretty crazy at Rockstar Games right now, the folks behind the Grand Theft Auto series – yeah, even the delayed GTA 6. At the end of October, they suddenly fired around 30 people, claiming it was due to some kind of misconduct. But it quickly came out that all those fired employees were part of a Discord server where someone was trying to organize a union, which a lot of people are seeing as a clear attempt to bust the union effort. Now, over 200 current Rockstar employees have signed a letter demanding they bring those fired people back. There have already been protests in London outside Rockstar and Take-Two Interactive’s offices, and we’re hearing those protests are going to spread to other cities later this month. It’s a messy situation, and a lot of us gamers are watching to see how it all plays out.

Over 200 Rockstar employees sign a letter demanding that fired employees be reinstated

Recently, most of the news surrounding Rockstar Games has centered on the delay of GTA 6. However, a separate issue involving employee concerns is also gaining attention. Following a letter addressed to management, a former employee anonymously shared with Eurogamer that it’s encouraging to see current colleagues supporting those who were let go and challenging leadership. They described it as a brave move, with employees directly addressing management and insisting their concerns are taken seriously, even when the company seems to be trying to discourage open communication.

https://youtube.com/watch?v=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VQRLujxTm3c

Fred Carter, an organizer with the Independent Workers’ Union of Great Britain, strongly criticized Rockstar’s actions, calling them an unusually aggressive attempt to discourage unionization within the gaming industry. He also highlighted that Rockstar UK receives £440 million in tax relief through the Video Games Tax Relief Program, and argued that treating workers poorly while benefiting from this program demonstrates a “callous and blatant disregard” for their well-being and legal obligations.

A commenter on the r/Games subreddit perfectly captured the current feeling surrounding the latest developments. They noted that what’s happening now would have been treated as a funny joke about a greedy corporation in early Grand Theft Auto games. It’s striking to see how much success has changed the studio. GTA has always been praised for its sharp satire of American culture, and a Rockstar co-founder recently stated that the series is so connected to America that a future game wouldn’t translate well to other countries. This raises a question: how can a game that mocks society still be effective when the company creating it is the target of that same criticism?

When Rockstar finally releases GTA 6, it’s almost certain to be the biggest video game launch ever. The anticipation is incredibly high – it’s already won an award for being the most anticipated game and is likely to win it again after a recent delay. Let’s hope the final game showcases the dedication of the developers who made it, rather than just benefiting the company executives and their profits.

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2025-11-14 01:32