Rockstar Creates Real-life Office Chaos With Union-Busting Claims in 2025

A new Bloomberg report revealed that Rockstar Games recently fired dozens of employees. Furthermore, the Independent Workers of Great Britain union is calling this a brazen act of union-busting. However, Take-Two Interactive firmly denies the claim, stating the firings were solely for misconduct. As this situation unfolds, one must wonder whether it’s a legitimate business decision or a targeted action against the union organization.

Rockstar’s Firings Hit a Sour Note

In the report, between thirty and forty employees across UK and Canadian offices are said to have lost their jobs. Not only that, but all of them were part of a private union chat group on Discord. According to an IWGB representative, these fired individuals were either union members or were attempting to organize their colleagues. The union has spoken up about these layoffs rather than remain silent.

They declared on the social platform Bluesky that these firings are the most ruthless act of union-busting in the history of the UK games industry. They’ve shown that they’re not backing down from Rockstar, vowing to fight for every member’s reinstatement. In a conversation with Bloomberg, IWGB president Alex Marshall said that Rockstar has shown a flagrant contempt for the law. Moreover, workers who generate billions for the company aren’t safe from the company’s actions either.

Take-Two’s Misconduct Claim is Grand Theft

Take-Two responded to these accusations with a statement emphasizing its culture of teamwork, excellence, and kindness. It also supports Rockstar’s decision to terminate a small number of individuals for gross misconduct. Despite being open, the exact number of people fired nor the specific reasons behind the dismissals were given. So, what evidence does Rockstar have to support its claim of gross misconduct? Those who have observed the entire situation are left wondering how a company known for creating virtual chaos is now generating so much real-world drama.

Although Rockstar has no musical ties, it’s living up to its name in real life by how they’re acting. Unsurprisingly, the core conflict doesn’t seem to be resolved anytime soon, as it puts the word of a powerful corporation against the claims of a determined union. With this legal and public relations battle intensifying, will the studio’s reputation be tarnished with its dedicated fanbase? Given that the highly anticipated Grand Theft Auto 6 is being released next year, only time will tell if this corporate rockstar’s next move is a hit or a spectacular miss.