Around 31 to 34 former Rockstar Games employees, mostly from the UK and some from Canada, were fired in late 2025 amid accusations of leaking confidential Grand Theft Auto 6 information and alleged union activity, according to multiple sources [1, 2, 3, 4]. The employees were members of the Independent Workers Union of Great Britain (IWGB) and have accused Rockstar of union busting related to their dismissals [1, 2, 3, 4]. Rockstar denies these claims, stating the firings resulted from breaches of confidentiality regarding GTA 6 leaks through Discord and other incidents [1, 2].
The fired workers and the IWGB are urging fans not to boycott GTA 6, which is set for release worldwide on November 19, 2026. Instead, they encourage financial support through pre-orders of union-designed T-shirts priced at £25, with proceeds going toward legal costs for the ongoing employment tribunal against Rockstar [1, 2, 3, 4]. Jack Hoxby, a spokesperson and one of the fired developers, said, "We poured years of our lives into helping build this game. We don't want you to boycott it. We want you to help us fight for justice" [2].
A video released by the fired employees emphasized, "Don't boycott GTA 6. Fight for justice for the people who made it" and "So if you love GTA, but hate union-busting, don't boycott the game; support our legal battle instead" [1, 4].
Rockstar parent company Take-Two's CEO Strauss Zelnick has stated he is not concerned about the legal dispute affecting GTA 6 sales [1]. The IWGB officially filed legal claims against Rockstar in November 2025, alleging unfair dismissal and union-busting [4]. In August 2026, the union launched pre-orders for their solidarity merchandise [3].
The final hearing of the employment tribunal is scheduled to begin on September 10, 2026, in Glasgow [3, 4]. GTA 6 remains on track for its major launch on November 19, 2026 [2, 4].
