With Rockstar Video games’ announcement of Grand Theft Auto 6’s launch date getting delayed having come shortly after the corporate fired over 30 of its staff, there have been questions on whether or not these have been associated incidents. In keeping with Bloomberg’s Jason Schreier, nonetheless, the incidents reportedly don’t have something to do with one another. Somewhat, the delay’s announcement occurred as a result of Take-Two Interactive had an earnings report at the moment.
In his publish on the ResetEra boards, Schreier famous that the firings wouldn’t have such a significant affect on the sport’s launch simply but. Somewhat, these results could be felt over the long term main as much as the brand new November 19, 2026 date, with missed deadlines and lack of morale on the studio.
“This delay was not because of the firings final Thursday,” wrote Schreier on ResetEra. “Whereas the fallout from these firings may actually have a long-term affect on the venture and result in extra missed deadlines sooner or later — because of these vacant roles, protracted authorized battles, morale loss, and many others. — the sport didn’t slip six months as a result of 34 folks have been fired per week in the past. It was introduced at the moment as a result of Take-Two reported earnings at the moment.”
Reviews of Rockstar Video games having fired its staff first got here up earlier this week, with the corporate stating that the firings occurred because of “misconduct” by the staff. This motion drew criticism from the Unbiased Staff’ Union of Nice Britain (IWGB), which referred to as the corporate out for what it believes to be efforts at union-busting.
“Rockstar has simply carried out one of the blatant and ruthless acts of union busting within the historical past of the video games business,” mentioned IWGB president Alex Marshall earlier this week. “This flagrant contempt for the regulation and for the lives of the employees who deliver of their billions is an insult to their followers and the worldwide business.”
Extra just lately, an nameless worker of Rockstar Video games took to the GTA Boards to name the corporate out for the firings, noting that their colleagues have been referred to as to HR below the guise of a pleasant chat earlier than being fired with out trigger. In addition they famous that Rockstar had been partaking in spreading “a whole lot of disinformation and lies which might be actually regarding.”
“Let me make this clear! I by no means noticed any dialogue/leaking of Rockstar initiatives within the Union Discord,” they wrote on the boards. “The one ever dialogue was round unionisation efforts and the working circumstances at [Rockstar Games]. The Discord wasn’t public. It was a non-public Discord group that solely contained [Rockstar Games] staff and the IWGB Union officers.”
Whereas there have been protests over the latest firings, Rockstar Video games additionally just lately introduced that it wanted extra time to wrap up improvement on Grand Theft Auto 6, which finally led to the delay. It was beforehand slated for launch in Could 2026. No matter previous assurances not panning out, Take-Two CEO Strauss Zelnick says he’s “extremely assured” within the new date.
