The Grand Theft Auto 6 Developers fired by Rockstar for gross misconduct were allegedly fired for leaking internal Slack emoji usage policies, though this may not have been the only reason. That's according to a new report that reveals some of the messages believed to have contributed to the latest GTA 6 controversy.
At the end of October 2025, Rockstar kicked 34 GTA 6 developers who claim they had leaked company secrets via a private Discord server. The server was reportedly created by the Independent Workers Union of Great Britain (IWGB), which had reached 200 Rockstar North members just a week before the layoffs, surpassing the 10% legal threshold required to seek formal recognition and begin collective bargaining. By laying off dozens of its members, Rockstar is said to have lowered union membership below that threshold, which is why the affected employees are calling the layoffs a flagrant act of union-busting and rejecting allegations of gross misconduct.
GTA 6 Delay Had Nothing To Do With Rockstar Firings, It's Claimed
Despite fan speculation linking Rockstar's recent shootings to the second delay in GTA 6, the timing seems to have a much simpler explanation.
Union Discord Server That Got GTA 6 Developer Fired Detailed in New Report
A new report from YouTube channel People Make Games (PMG) claims to reveal new details about the IWGB Discord server, like some of the fired GTA 6 developers are described as neither new nor controversial. The server has reportedly been active since 2022, with a public #public channel used to share information about the union with interested parties. It also included limited channels dedicated to union organizing, available only to IWGB members. In the weeks leading up to the firings, the server reportedly had around 300 users – mostly IWGB members (~200), along with potential members and union representatives. The server contained guidelines outlining what can legally be discussed, including topics such as pay and working conditions. While some former employees interviewed by PMG said they could not recall confidential information ever being shared, the report suggests that Rockstar may have used a broader interpretation of “confidential” than is commonly understood.
Leaked examples of typical discussions on the Rockstar Union Discord Server
GTA 6 Developer Firings Reportedly Preceded by Rockstar's 'Slack Purge'
The events leading up to the shootings date back to early October 2025, when Rockstar reportedly removed several different channels from its official Slack server, including those dedicated to pets, arts and crafts, music, and gaming interests. The company allegedly cited these channels as sources of distraction and, in some cases, unprofessional behavior. The decision was said to have been poorly received by some employees, who reportedly referred to it as a “Slack purge” and expressed their frustration on the union Discord server.
Leaked examples of GTA 6 developers discussing Rockstar's Slack Channel Purge
Why the Seedling Emoji has a special meaning for GTA 6 developers
In addition to casual discussions about gaming preferences, the recently deleted #misc gaming channel on Rockstar's Slack server was also reportedly where employees shared industry news. Here, a trend developed to use the seedling emoji (🌱) to react to news of mass layoffs, show solidarity with affected workers, and symbolize growing support for company-wide unionization. To underscore its cultural significance, the emoji also appeared on banners held by some of those fired GTA 6 developers during protests outside the Rockstar North offices in early November 2025. Several of the recently fired employees interviewed by PMG have speculated that Rockstar was intentionally trying to limit this token activity by shutting down the #misc-gaming Slack channel. “I will miss shooting straight [sic] gaming union news at 8 every day,” wrote one of the former employees on the Discord server that eventually got them fired.
RIP misc gaming. I will miss shooting in right away [sic] news from gambling unions at 8am every day.
Rockstar has reportedly banned the Seedling Emoji on its Slack Channel, but not outright
The IWGB Rockstar union Discord server spawned an effort to formulate a collective open letter against management's decision to remove the various channels, reveals one of the leaked messages from early October 2025. Around that time, Rockstar reportedly announced new Slack policies, including stricter guidelines for status messages, banning emojis. This is another move that some of the dismissed employees are said to have interpreted as management getting “tired of Palestinian flags and plants”.
Leaked Messages From GTA 6 Devs Reacting To Rockstar's Slack Emoji Ban
Rockstar's Slack Emoji Ban Email Reportedly Transcribed on Union Discord Server in Possible Violation of Company Policies
The discussion of the email announcing Rockstar's Slack emoji ban on the IWGB Discord server may have played a central role in the company's official justification for the layoffs. Because of GTA 6 and other corporate projects that have suffered major leaks over the years, Rockstar reportedly enforces a strict policy that allows employees to only access work email while in the office. The email detailing the October 2025 Slack policy changes was reportedly sent outside normal business hours – after 5pm UK time on October 6 – preventing many affected employees from reading it when it was issued. As a result, its contents were shared on the IWGB Discord server. PMG's report indicates that at least one message directly quoted it, while another included a full transcript of the email, which the author claimed to have created by photographing their office screen and autotranscribing the image with an unidentified optical character recognition (OCR) tool. This action may have constituted a violation of company policy.
A Union Discord member reported the email leak to Rockstar Management
One of PMG's sources claims that this act of sharing internal company communications is what prompted at least one member of the IWGB Discord server to contact Rockstar North management to “express concerns about the discussions taking place” on the platform. It is unclear if the higher studios were already aware of the Discord server at the time, but this action is believed to have contributed to the investigation that ultimately led to the controversial firings of 34 GTA 6 developer for gross misconduct. Less than three weeks have passed between the Discord discussion being reported and the layoffs at the end of October 2025.
Rockstar declined to comment on PMG's new report, which claims some of the sacked employees had been with the company for over 10 years, while others had work visas and are now at risk of having to leave the UK. The IWGB took legal action against GTA 6 developers in mid-November 2025, with demands that the laid-off employees be reinstated. The union said it intends to sue Rockstar for unfair dismissal if its demands are not met.
- Released
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November 2026
- ESRB
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Rating pending – likely adult 17+
