Rockstar North Seeks IWGB Union Recognition for GTA 6 Workforce in UK

Rockstar’s development arm has filed for voluntary recognition of the IWGB Game Workers Union, aiming to make Rockstar North the second UK studio to gain official, recognized union status for its workforce. If the bid succeeds, it would expand formal collective bargaining rights for workers working on Grand Theft Auto 6.

In an update released today, the IWGB said formal recognition would bring extra protections and structured bargaining on workplace issues such as pay transparency, flexible scheduling, and limits around excessive overtime—commonly referred to as “crunch.” The union also pointed out that ZA/UM, the studio behind Disco Elysium, is currently the only UK game developer with formal union recognition.

Quick facts: Rockstar’s union bid and what it would change

• Rockstar developers have applied for voluntary recognition of the IWGB Game Workers Union.
• If recognized, the union would negotiate on pay transparency, flexible working, and excessive overtime (“crunch”).
• IWGB says it represents a “significant portion” of Rockstar staff across multiple UK sites.
• Rockstar’s application is positioned as a way to strengthen workplace protections while talks move forward.
• The IWGB says its presence has helped drive “unprecedented” average pay rises and crunch-related financial incentives.

The IWGB claims it represents a “significant portion” of Rockstar’s employees across offices in Edinburgh, Dundee, Lincoln, Leeds, and London. The union further argues that its presence has helped deliver “unprecedented” average pay increases and added financial incentives tied to crunch “for the first time ever.”

QA and production staff speak out

Josh Walter, a senior QA tester at Rockstar Lincoln, said Rockstar is “leading the industry” with the games it ships, but should also lead in how it treats the people building those games. He argued that pay disparities, heavy overtime, and inflexible working arrangements can make it harder for employees to do their best work, and said the goal is to sit down with management to build a future that improves both the projects and the conditions behind them.

Shanti Easton-Steel, a production co-ordinator at Rockstar North, called the recognition attempt a landmark step for the Rockstar Game Workers Union and said it could be meaningful for the wider industry. She credited the work of both current union members and colleagues who were fired last October for putting the organisation in a position to pursue formal recognition, while also acknowledging the pain that dismissed workers cannot share the moment.

Easton-Steel added that the union sees its next task as honoring those contributions by succeeding in the fight the dismissed employees helped start. She also said the bid comes after years of member effort, and that it wasn’t possible without backing from non-members as well.

She said the union hopes more people will feel comfortable joining now, but asked that even non-members stay supportive as the group pushes forward toward its main goals: pay transparency, better crunch practices, and more workable flexible arrangements.

Rockstar response to the request

Rockstar Games responded with a statement saying it aims to create the best games possible by providing its teams with world-class work environments and ongoing career options. The company said it has built a culture centered on teamwork, excellence, and kindness, and that it supports and rewards staff at all levels through compensation and benefits policies.

Rockstar also claimed it is proud of employee retention rates that are “well above the industry standard.” The company said it has received a request from a union seeking to discuss voluntary recognition, and that it values an open and constructive dialogue with stakeholders, adding that it will arrange a meeting.

The union bid arrives while a legal fight remains ongoing over what the IWGB says was “union busting” by Rockstar. Rockstar’s position is that the employees it fired in late last year were dismissed because they leaked game details about upcoming and unannounced titles via Discord, not because they were attempting to organize.

In total, 34 workers were dismissed—31 in the UK and three in Canada—prompting protests outside Rockstar North’s office in Edinburgh, Scotland, and outside Take-Two’s London office. The IWGB is contesting the dismissals through a Glasgow employment tribunal, which in January rejected an application for interim relief submitted on behalf of the fired developers.

At the time of that earlier decision, a Rockstar Games spokesperson told IGN that the ruling aligned with Rockstar’s position. The spokesperson said Rockstar regretted being placed in a situation where dismissals were necessary, but maintained that it stood by its approach based on the outcome of the hearing.

A final tribunal hearing is scheduled to begin in September 2026, where the decision will determine whether employees were unlawfully fired due to trade union activity.

Which Edition of GTA 6 Will You Buy?

All of this is happening ahead of Grand Theft Auto 6’s launch in November, which is expected to be one of the largest entertainment releases of all time. The IWGB said that preorder sales reportedly hit $3 billion after preorders opened last week.

IWGB President Alex Marshall said the union believes the dismissals did not weaken organizing at the company—instead, it claims Rockstar’s situation has left the union “stronger than ever.” He said that over the last four years, workers have built a meaningful presence across Rockstar’s sites and now represent a large share of the workforce.

Marshall described union recognition as the next stage in strengthening that presence in the workplace. He also referenced Rockstar’s stated position that it respects workers’ trade union rights, arguing this bid is a chance to prove that respect in practice.

He added that GTA 6 has reportedly already generated more than $3 billion in preorder sales, and said Rockstar leadership can afford to meet with the people whose work made the games possible. His argument is that those workers deserve a genuinely meaningful voice in how the workplace operates.

Rockstar could refuse to grant recognition voluntarily. In that case, the IWGB says it would pursue statutory recognition through the Department for Business and Trade’s Central Arbitration Committee (CAC). Still, the union said any decision on whether to use strike action would be up to its members, with the IWGB telling IGN that members will determine the organising strategy “they use to secure” recognition.

Photo by Lesley Martin/PA Images via Getty Images.