Workers dismissed from Rockstar Games have voiced that fans should not boycott Grand Theft Auto VI in solidarity with their situation. These employees, who were part of the Independent Workers Union of Great Britain (IWGB), were terminated in June, an action the union has characterized as a severe instance of union-busting.
In a recent video, affected workers stated their desire for people to experience the universe they contributed to. "We spent years pouring our hard work, skill, and creativity into making GTA," they explained. "And we want people to experience the universe that we helped build. But that doesn't mean we want you to let Rockstar off the hook."
The dismissals followed a period where the IWGB was permitted to present its case in court. The union alleged that Rockstar compiled a list of union members, a practice that would contravene The Employment Relations Act if done to disadvantage employees based on their trade union membership or activities. A full trial is scheduled for September.
Workers described their firing as sudden and without adequate representation or opportunity to respond, stating, "Without warning, we were called into meetings and fired without representation, evidence, or a chance to respond. In minutes, we lost our jobs, our income, our work on GTA, and had 'gross misconduct' stamped on our records." Rockstar has countered that the developers in question "distributed and discussed confidential information," a claim the IWGB disputes, calling it an attempt to mischaracterize discussions about working conditions as information leaks.
Instead of a boycott, the IWGB is encouraging supporters to purchase t-shirts from the union, with all proceeds directed towards legal funds for the ongoing dispute. The union aims for gamers to "win justice for the people who helped make it."