They accused Rockstar of firing people for wanting to fight for their rights. GTA 6 devs break their silence
Rockstar counters allegations that the dismissal of several dozen employees was due to their connections or interests in trade unions.
Rockstar's been under fire from the union after the recent layoffs, but the creators behind GTA seem to have given a pretty solid reason for cutting jobs.
30 or even 40 people is not much compared to the mass layoffs at Microsoft or Amazon. However, this is no consolation for those who recently lost their jobs at Rockstar Games studio.
Moreover, the whole issue (brought to light by Bloomberg) stirred up a bit of controversy for a simple reason – all the people affected were either part of a private union or thinking about starting their own. Rockstar claimed that the reason for the layoffs was "gross misconduct," but not all people were convinced.
Employee indiscretion or a pretext for Rockstar?
Among the skeptics (or even critics) were members of the IWGB (Independent Workers’ Union of Great Britain). The British labor union announced a protest that began today outside the London offices of Rockstar and Take-Two Interactive (via @videotechuk on X).
The organization had already said that Rockstar's move was meant to discourage studio employees from getting interested in unions (fighting for their rights). This narrative was quickly picked up by many, who expressed hope that the affected people would get their jobs back. However, there is little chance of that happening.
Rockstar released another statement today regarding the recent layoffs. According to Bloomberg, the developer clarified that the previously mentioned "gross misconduct" referred to the dissemination of confidential information in the public domain. It was for this reason, not union-related issues, that a "small number of individuals" was dismissed.
Last week, we took action against a small number of individuals who were found to be distributing and discussing confidential information in a public forum, a violation of our company policies. This was in no way related to people’s right to join a union or engage in union activities.
Not all people were convinced by this explanation. However, it is no secret that Rockstar has quite strict confidentiality rules. It's possible that the affected employees did share some info, maybe not even about games, and ended up breaking their NDA.
Rockstar got hit by a massive leak back in 2022, and then another, slightly smaller one, happened last month. Whether this latest incident was related to the recent layoffs, whether developers let slip other confidential information, or whether it was merely a pretext for the studio? For now, there are no answers to those questions.
Would you like to get more news like this or read interesting facts from the gaming world? Join our community on Google News and follow us there! Your support helps us grow and bring you even more content!
- Rockstar co-founder compares generative AI to mad cow disease in an „extremely apt comparison”
- Big surprise for PlayStation fans. Trailer featuring new „must-have” games doesn’t mention GTA 6 at all
- GTA 6 devs have a growing problem. Concerns that Rockstar Games is failing to comply with labor laws are becoming more serious and „deeply troubling”
0
Author: Jacob Blazewicz
Graduated with a master's degree in Polish Studies from the University of Warsaw with a thesis dedicated to this very subject. Started his adventure with gamepressure.com in 2015, writing in the Newsroom and later also in the film and technology sections (also contributed to the Encyclopedia). Interested in video games (and not only video games) for years. He began with platform games and, to this day, remains a big fan of them (including Metroidvania). Also shows interest in card games (including paper), fighting games, soulslikes, and basically everything about games as such. Marvels at pixelated characters from games dating back to the time of the Game Boy (if not older).
Latest News
- Chris Sawyer's Locomotion can finally reach it's full potential with new OpenLoco
- Most important question of the series without answer. Only Dead Space 4 could reveal the truth about the Necromorphs
- End of remote work and 60 hours a week. Demo of Naughty Dog's new game was born amid a crunch atmosphere
- She's the new Lara Croft, but she still lives in fear. Trauma after Perfect Dark changed the actress' approach to the industry
- „A lot has become lost in translation.” Swen Vincke suggests that the scandal surrounding Divinity is a big misunderstanding
Hot News
A firm NO to artificial intelligence. Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 devs don't hold back
Brainteaser answers in Dispatch. Let’s solve his riddles
Where to find Hollow Abode and Aureate Pavilion in Where Winds Meet. Navigation through Mistveil Forest has never been so easy
Answer to “Ice or roller” in Cookie Jam. Let’s find the solution
Which Mecha Man contains the bomb in Dispatch. Here’s how to complete Comically Yours