Rockstar Employees Advocate for Unionization Before GTA VI Release

Workers at Rockstar Games, the studio behind Grand Theft Auto VI, have formally requested voluntary recognition of their union, the IWGB Game Workers Union, as stated in a recent press release. This move comes on the heels of Rockstar’s decision to terminate over 30 employees last year, a decision that many viewed as an attempt to undermine union efforts.

The IWGB has been actively organizing since 2019 and claims to represent a substantial portion of the workforce across Rockstar’s locations in Edinburgh, Dundee, Lincoln, Leeds, and London. As the union has expanded, Rockstar has reportedly made strides in improving working conditions, including significant pay increases and new financial incentives for overtime work, marking a notable shift in the company’s approach.

The union’s goals include enhancing pay transparency, reinforcing flexible work arrangements, and tackling the issue of crunch time, which has drawn criticism towards Rockstar in the past. Alan Lewis, Take-Two’s head of communications, acknowledged the union’s request, emphasizing the company’s commitment to maintaining open and constructive discussions with all parties involved.

A final hearing regarding last year’s layoffs is set to take place in September, just ahead of the anticipated release of Grand Theft Auto VI on November 19th, which is priced at $79.99 and is now available for preorder.

This initiative by Rockstar employees is part of a broader trend among game developers seeking to unionize. Recently, staff at Double Fine filed a petition to form a union, while workers at Raven Software, an Activision studio, successfully secured their first union contract last year.