Rockstar Games has said it will vigorously defend itself against allegations that it unlawfully dismissed workers involved in the development of GTA 6, as a major employment tribunal gets underway in the UK.

The dispute centres on 31 former Rockstar employees in Britain who lost their jobs in October 2025. The Independent Workers of Great Britain, or IWGB, alleges that the dismissals were connected to trade union activity. Rockstar strongly rejects that allegation.

The hearing began at the Glasgow Employment Tribunal on September 10 and is expected to continue until October 16. Its timing puts an unusual spotlight on Rockstar’s internal workplace practices just weeks before Grand Theft Auto VI is scheduled to launch on November 19, 2026.

Rockstar Rejects Claims That Workers Were Fired for Union Activity

Rockstar maintains that the employees were dismissed for gross misconduct involving confidential information, rather than because of their involvement with a union.

In a statement issued as the tribunal began, the company said its position had remained consistent throughout the dispute. Rockstar argues that confidential company information was shared outside appropriate internal channels and says it intends to challenge the union’s allegations before the tribunal.

A total of 34 employees were dismissed during the episode, including 31 based in the UK and three in Canada.

The case quickly became one of the most closely watched labour disputes in the games industry. Protests followed outside Rockstar North’s Edinburgh office and outside the London offices of parent company Take-Two Interactive.

IWGB Claims the Dismissals Were Unlawful

The Independent Workers of Great Britain presents a very different account.

The union alleges that employees were targeted because of their organising activities and says the workers were denied a proper disciplinary process and an opportunity to appeal their dismissals.

According to the union’s allegations, some employees working in Rockstar offices were called into meetings, dismissed immediately and escorted from the premises. Staff working remotely were allegedly informed through extremely brief phone calls before losing access to company systems.

These claims remain contested and will form part of the evidence considered during the tribunal.

The former workers are seeking reinstatement or compensation, along with a tribunal finding that their dismissals were unfair.

Discord Messages Are Central to the Dispute

One of the most important questions concerns a Discord channel used by workers.

Rockstar says employees shared sensitive material concerning GTA 6 features, development progress, launch timelines and internal IT security procedures. The company argues that this information was confidential and that its disclosure justified dismissal.

Rockstar also disputes the idea that the Discord group was effectively a private employee space. According to the company’s position, hundreds of people had access, including individuals who were not Rockstar employees.

The IWGB disputes Rockstar’s characterisation of the channel and maintains that it was private.

This distinction could become important. The tribunal will need to examine the circumstances surrounding the conversations, the nature of the information involved and Rockstar’s reasons for dismissing the employees.

Rockstar Points to Its Strict Policy on Leaks

Confidentiality has always been particularly important at Rockstar. Few major developers reveal as little about unfinished projects before they are ready for public presentation.

The company argues that employees understand those rules when handling unreleased material.

Rockstar has also pointed to previous dismissals involving alleged leaks as evidence that its response was not created specifically for employees involved in union activity.

That history is relevant to the company’s defence. However, the tribunal will ultimately determine whether the dismissals at the centre of this case were handled lawfully.

The financial sensitivity surrounding GTA 6 information adds another dimension. Rockstar argues that confidential development or release information could become significant gaming news if leaked publicly and potentially influence investor sentiment around Take-Two.

There is precedent for major GTA 6 announcements moving the market. When Rockstar previously confirmed a six-month delay to November 19, 2026, Take-Two’s market value fell by billions of dollars in a single trading session.

Former GTA 6 Developers Describe the Personal Impact

For the dismissed workers, the dispute extends far beyond corporate confidentiality policies.

Former Rockstar employee and IWGB member Jason Lewis said the workers had spent almost a year waiting for the opportunity to present their version of events formally.

The group argues that losing their positions also meant losing the opportunity to finish a project they had spent years helping to create.

One case highlighted by the union concerns former employee Will Mesilane. The IWGB alleges that he ultimately had to return to Australia after Rockstar withdrew his work visa sponsorship and informed the Home Office following his dismissal.

Again, the tribunal will have to assess the competing evidence rather than simply accepting either side’s interpretation.

The Dispute Could Have Wider Consequences for Rockstar

The tribunal is unfolding alongside separate discussions over formal union recognition at Rockstar.

The IWGB has pushed for changes including greater pay transparency, stronger protection against layoffs following game releases, improved flexible working arrangements and measures addressing periods of intense overtime commonly described as crunch.

If formal recognition is eventually secured, Rockstar could become the largest recognised unionised game studio in the UK.

That makes this dispute significant beyond the 31 former UK employees directly involved.

The Hearing Comes Just Before GTA 6’s Release

The timing is difficult to ignore.

Rockstar is entering the final stage of preparations for GTA 6’s November 19 release, while simultaneously defending one of the most serious employment disputes in its history.

For players, the tribunal does not currently change GTA 6’s announced launch plans. For the wider games industry, however, the case could become an important test of how confidentiality policies interact with legally protected workplace organising.

The two sides remain sharply divided. Rockstar says confidential information was improperly shared and denies targeting union members. The IWGB argues that workers were punished for organising and discussing workplace conditions.

The tribunal now has the task of examining the evidence behind those competing accounts.

With hearings expected to continue into October, the dispute is likely to remain part of the conversation surrounding Rockstar during the final weeks before GTA 6 reaches players.