Employees at Rockstar Games are actively working with the Independent Workers' Union of Great Britain (IWGB) to achieve official union recognition. This initiative is gaining momentum as the studio prepares for the November 19 release of Grand Theft Auto 6, a title that has already seen significant pre-order success.
The push for unionization follows a period of tension at the company, including the dismissal of employees last year, which former and current staff have described as "union-busting" tactics. The Rockstar Game Workers Union (RGWU), operating as a subsidiary of the IWGB, has been escalating its efforts. A recent tribunal ruling also went against the developer's attempt to remove blacklisting claims from an ongoing legal process.
Alex Marshall, president of the IWGB, stated that Rockstar bosses "can easily afford to sit around the table with the people whose hard work created these games, and give them a meaningful voice in their workplace." The union hopes for voluntary recognition from Rockstar, with an invitation extended to the company to meet and acknowledge the contributions of its workforce.
Should voluntary recognition be disregarded, the IWGB has indicated that a strike could occur to ensure the union's establishment. Jordan Garland, a former employee let go after 11 years with Rockstar, expressed hope for voluntary recognition, stating, "We are inviting Rockstar to meet us and make it a celebration of people who make the games possible."
Shanti Easton-Steel, a production coordinator at Rockstar North, added that honoring the contributions of dismissed colleagues involves continuing the fight they initiated. This move could position Rockstar as the second UK game developer with a recognized union, following ZA/UM (Zero Parades) which achieved this status in late 2025.