A new layer has emerged in the ongoing controversy surrounding Rockstar Games after the dismissal of 34 developers connected to GTA 6. According to testimonies shared with investigative outlet People Make Games, the chain of events that led to one of the studio’s most turbulent weeks reportedly began with an unexpected restructuring of Rockstar’s internal Slack system a change that exposed confidential conversations and set off a disciplinary cascade.
How a Tool for Communication Became the Flashpoint
Rockstar’s sudden reorganization of team Slack channels earlier this year appears to have triggered the situation. Former employees claim that the shift was framed as a routine technical update. However, in practice, it altered permissions and visibility across multiple channels, allowing managers to access previously private spaces where developers discussed workplace concerns, pay discrepancies, and union organizing efforts.
Several dismissed workers told People Make Games that the Slack restructuring made years of internal communication accessible to leadership without warning. What was intended as a space to coordinate tasks and share feedback had also become a refuge for candid conversations about burnout, overtime, and job security.
Within days of the restructuring, staff were questioned about shared emails, internal policy discussions, and comments related to pay and working conditions topics normally protected under UK labor law. According to the employees, these conversations were then cited as grounds for “gross misconduct.”
Rockstar’s Response: Company Policy vs. Employee Rights
Rockstar maintains that the dismissals were not tied to union activity, insisting that employees violated strict policies by circulating internal communications. The studio has not provided additional public explanation beyond this stance, even as criticism grows from labor groups and the wider gaming community.
The Independent Workers’ Union of Great Britain (IWGB), which is representing several of the fired employees, argues that Rockstar’s actions amount to retaliation. They highlight that discussions of workplace conditions and union organization are protected under UK legislation. For many observers, that contrast policy breaches on one side, legal protections on the other — underscores the tension at the heart of the dispute.
“This isn’t about accidental oversharing,” one affected developer noted. “It’s about a company choosing to weaponize a communication tool against its own workers.”
A Growing Pattern of Concerns Inside Rockstar
The controversy does not appear in isolation. Over the past decade, Rockstar has frequently faced scrutiny over its internal culture. Reports dating back to Red Dead Redemption highlight demanding work schedules, extended crunch periods, and communication barriers between leadership and development teams.
Those themes surfaced again in discussions on the Slack channels that eventually became part of the investigation. Employees say they used these spaces to document long working hours, raise issues about overtime compensation, and seek support from colleagues.
Several former staffers now believe that these conversations rather than the sharing of mundane internal emails were the true catalyst for the company’s disciplinary action. Whether that interpretation holds up legally remains to be seen, but it has become central to the growing backlash against Rockstar.
Union Organizing and the Fallout
At the time the Slack change occurred, a number of GTA 6 workers were exploring formal union recognition. According to interviewees, discussions of recruitment, legal protections, and collective bargaining had intensified in the weeks prior to the restructuring.
These activities are protected under UK employment law, yet they may also have made organizers more visible to management. Several dismissed developers believe their participation in these conversations contributed to their termination, even if Rockstar insists otherwise.
The fallout has been immediate and visible. Multiple protests have taken place outside Rockstar’s Edinburgh offices. More than 200 internal employees have signed letters demanding reinstatement. UK lawmakers have begun referencing the situation in parliamentary sessions, signaling that this dispute may soon reach governmental review.
What This Means for GTA 6 and Rockstar’s Future
The timing of the dismissals has drawn particular attention because they come during a pivotal period in the development of Grand Theft Auto VI, a project already delayed twice and now scheduled for release in late 2026. While reporter Jason Schreier has said the controversy did not directly cause the recent delay, he acknowledged that morale issues, unfilled roles, and potential legal battles could create longer-term disruption.
For an industry watching closely, the situation poses difficult questions: How will Rockstar rebuild internal trust? Can a studio produce a game of GTA 6’s scale amid a climate of unrest? And what precedent does this set for workplace transparency in major AAA studios?
A Story Still Unfolding
With legal claims now underway and public scrutiny intensifying, the long-term consequences of the Slack restructuring incident remain uncertain. What is clear is that the dismissals marked much more than a disciplinary response they ignited a debate about labor rights, corporate oversight, and the realities of modern game development.
And for Rockstar, a studio synonymous with ambition and secrecy, this controversy may prove to be one of the most defining challenges it has faced in years.