Final Hearing Begins in Rockstar Games Employment Tribunal
- The final hearing in the tribunal involving Rockstar Games and 31 fired GTA 6 developers has commenced in Glasgow, Scotland.
- Fired employee Rachel Crawford delivered a powerful speech about fear in the workplace, reflecting on her termination.
- The IWGB union represents the dismissed employees, alleging unlawful dismissal while Rockstar cites “gross misconduct” as the reason for the terminations.
The final hearing in the employment tribunal concerning Rockstar Games and 31 fired developers from the upcoming GTA 6 has officially begun in Glasgow, Scotland. The proceedings commenced amid protests and speeches from former employees who were dismissed from their roles in October of last year.
Images and videos circulating on social media highlighted a gathering outside the Glasgow Tribunals Centre, where demonstrators displayed IWGB union banners alongside homemade signs, featuring slogans like “What’s disgusting? Union busting” and “404: Rockstar’s respect for workers not found.”
Central to the morning’s activities was a compelling address by Rachel Crawford, a former Rockstar employee, who spoke eloquently about the culture of fear in the workplace. “The modern workplace runs on fear: fear of speaking out, fear of being punished, fear of being fired, losing your livelihood and even your home,” Crawford remarked in a video posted by IWGB Game Workers union co-founder Austin Kelmore.
In her speech, Crawford recounted her own experience of being terminated abruptly on October 30, 2025, without any clear reason provided. “Within minutes, I was out the door, feeling humiliated and ashamed,” she expressed, reflecting on the psychological impact of the event and the fear it instilled in both her and her former colleagues.
Closing out the rally, @nershly.bsky.social beautifully speaks about her experience being fired by Rockstar and how they try to use fear.
“Fear wants to rule us. It closes our minds, our hearts, and our horizons,” Crawford continued, asserting that the hearing serves as a platform to combat workplace fear. “Over the next five weeks, we will face fear and show that we refuse to be silenced by it.”
Rockstar Games now faces allegations of unlawful dismissal and blacklisting after previously attempting to dismiss the case. The IWGB union contends that the firings were in retaliation for the employees’ efforts to unionize, while Rockstar maintains it terminated them for “gross misconduct” related to sharing confidential information on the IWGB Discord server.
This issue has garnered significant attention in the UK, so much so that it has been addressed in Parliament. Former Prime Minister Keir Starmer remarked on the matter as “deeply concerning.” A Rockstar Game Workers union has also emerged, raising more allegations related to workplace practices such as crunch, gender pay gaps, and the manipulation of bonus payments.
The tribunal’s proceedings are expected to last about five weeks and will closely coincide with the scheduled release of GTA 6 on November 19. The IWGB is advocating for the reinstatement or compensation of the fired employees and seeks a ruling that their dismissals were unfair. A favorable outcome for the employees could set a historic precedent for union representation within Rockstar and potentially influence the broader UK gaming industry.
News Courtesy of Eurogamer
