Rockstar Games employees will hold a vote on union recognition during a two-week period in November that directly overlaps with the console launch of Grand Theft Auto 6. The voting window runs from November 12 to November 26, covering the week before and the week after the game’s release on November 19.
Union recognition timeline
If the vote passes, the IWGB Rockstar Game Workers Union will become the largest union in the UK game industry. The union aims to secure a formal voice for employees on issues including pay structures, bonuses, overtime policies, redundancies, flexible working arrangements, and the use of generative AI in development.
Terms of the recognition deal have been under negotiation since July. Unionization efforts at the studio have been ongoing for a longer period. The process faced significant scrutiny in October 2025 when Rockstar terminated 31 employees. The IWGB described the firings as the most aggressive union-busting attempt in the gaming sector. Rockstar stated the employees were dismissed for leaking Grand Theft Auto 6 information in a public Discord server. The case is currently being heard at an employment tribunal in Scotland.
Worker and union statements
Shanti Easton-Steel, a committee member of the Rockstar Game Workers Union, emphasized the timing of the vote. She noted that as the studio’s latest title reaches players, staff will also seek recognition for the first time.
Easton-Steel highlighted specific concerns driving the campaign. She cited the need for transparency regarding management decisions that impact daily work. Issues such as the gender pay gap, inconsistent overtime pay policies, and job security concerns following the game’s release were cited as primary motivators.
Alex Marshall, president of the IWGB Union, described the vote as historic for the entire gaming sector. He stated that the decision is personal for workers, as it determines whether they have input into how their daily operations are organized.
Management stance
Rockstar has not issued a public comment regarding the upcoming vote. However, Jennifer Kolbe, head of publishing at Rockstar, indicated a neutral stance in a recent Bloomberg report on the development of Grand Theft Auto 6. She stated that the studio follows the direction of its team. If employees choose to unionize, the company will accept that outcome.
The unionization effort coincides with one of the most anticipated releases in the video game industry. Grand Theft Auto 6 is scheduled for launch on PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X/S on November 19. A PC version has not yet been assigned a release date.
Source: PC Gamer
