UK PM comments on GTA 6 shootings

The launch at the end of October on the 31st Grand Theft Auto 6 Developers from Rockstar Games have drawn the attention of Sir Keir Starmer, the UK Prime Minister, who discussed the issue after an MP shared their concerns. Starmer said the ongoing case against GTA 6 developers and publishers were “deeply concerned” and said ministers would look into the matter.

In late October 2025, Rockstar Games North fired 31 former employees GTA 6 development team. The developer subsequently claimed that the reason for their release was due to some alleged leaks of Rockstar's trade secrets via a Discord server maintained by members of the Independent Workers Union of Great Britain (IWGB), which included union members not employed by Rockstar Games. Some discussions held in the IWGB Discord were about union resources and discussions about wages and working conditions with various companies. Before the shootings took place, Rockstar Games purged several sections of its Slack server as a way to avoid “distractions” while at work.

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Rockstar pays attention to the Prime Minister

After Rockstar explained their reasons for GTA 6 staff redundancies and denied claims they were engaged in union-busting, a British government official shared his concerns with the prime minister. Chris Murray, the local MP at Rockstar North's Edinburgh office, discussed the Rockstar situation with Starmer on 10 December. Murray said he had previously met with Rockstar North after the IWGB's union-busting allegations came to light. Murray said: “Having met with Rockstar, they have failed to reassure me that they are complying with labor laws and I share the concerns about union-busting.” After Murray asked him if all companies had to comply with UK labor law, Starmer said: “It is a deeply worrying case.” Starmer stated that every worker has the right to join a union and that he would have ministers look at the Rockstar case going forward.

Weeks after the 31st mentioned GTA 6 The staff was fired, the IWGB filed legal claims against Rockstar Games, accusing the company of union busting. The IWGB sided with the former members GTA 6 development team who said they were fired from their jobs for trying to unionize. The union claimed that Rockstar Games unfairly dismissed and blacklisted its former employees. The IWGB said the legal claims would be for monetary compensation and relief against Rockstar, and that the union would use various lawyers, administrators and legal officers to back up its case. As of this writing, the IWGB's legal claim against Rockstar is an ongoing matter.

The aftermath of Rockstar's actions

In the aftermath of Rockstar Games' controversial layoffs, several former employees and union activists protested outside Rockstar's offices in Edinburgh, Scotland, on November 6. Days later, on November 13, the IWGB reported that 220 Rockstar employees signed a joint letter addressed to company management to demand that Rockstar reinstate the 31 former GTA 6 staff immediately. The letter was followed up with more protests outside Take Two's offices in London and Paris on 14 November, along with another protest outside Rockstar North's offices in Edinburgh on 18 November. However, Rockstar stood by its decision to fire the 31 former staff.

The firings happened just days before Rockstar announced it GTA 6 would be delayed until November 19, 2026, as the company claimed the project needed more polishing to meet the standards of its fans. While Rockstar Games denied that the delay and the shootings were connected, Take-Two's shares plunged nearly 10% after Rockstar's choice to push back GTA 6s launch by six months. Considering the case against Rockstar by the IWGB is an ongoing situation, it remains to be seen how the situation will play out in the long run.