Rockstar Games’ developers have announced that they have formed a new union, dubbed the Rockstar Game Workers Union (RGWU). The union is a subsidiary of the Independent Workers’ Union of Great Britain (IWGB), through which the developers were already being represented. The forming of the union was announced through a social media post and a video discussing the reasoning behind its creation and the plan going forward.
The video brings up the point that Rockstar Games had fired several developers back in October 2025, and reiterates allegations that the studio has been engaging in union busting practices. The founding of the RGWU comes shortly before legal proceedings for IWGB’s lawsuit against the Grand Theft Auto 6 developer are about to go underway.
The company came under fire earlier this month from the Scottish Labour Members of Parliament, who accused the studio of stonewalling legal proceedings. In a press release, IWGB said that members of parliament Chris Murray, Dr. Scott Arthur, and Tracy Gilbert had asked Rockstar for more transparency and co-operation during the proceedings.
“Every worker deserves the right to a fair appeal process and to have their voice heard,” said Gilbert in a statement. “It is extremely disappointing that Rockstar has refused to properly engage with staff, representatives, and trade unions throughout this process. Workers asking for fairness, transparency, and respect should not be met with silence and closed doors, especially when livelihoods and workplace rights are at stake.”
IWGB president Alex Marshall also commented on “corporate legal stonewalling” over the course of the last six months, calling the studio out for “showing no respect for UK trade union law”.
“Since the dismissals took place we have had to deal with six months of corporate legal stonewalling,” he said. “When Rockstar sacked 31 of our members without warning, we were confident it was an act of flagrant union-busting. The evasion they have shown at every stage of the legal process has only strengthened our belief.”
“Our members at Rockstar are proving that no matter a studio’s size, profits or prestige, when its workers are united we have the power to hold them to account. Through their relentless protesting, press and legal action, our members have drawn the world’s attention to the shady practices of these multi-national studios, and sent a message to rogue game executives that workers are unionising en masse and are ready to fight back.”
These accusations came after the company’s actions had been brought to the attention of UK Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer, who noted that Rockstar Games will be investigated since “every worker has the right to join a trade union and we’re determined to strengthen workers’ rights and ensure they don’t face unfair consequences for being part of a union.”
For its part, Rockstar Games has denied that it has been partaking in union-busting activities, and in a statement, insisted that the allegations of the firings being part of such activities “are entirely false and misleading”.
“Rockstar Games took action against a small group of individuals, across the UK and internationally, who distributed and discussed confidential information (including specific game features from upcoming and unannounced titles) in a public forum, in breach of company policy and their legal obligations. Claims that these dismissals were linked to union membership or activities are entirely false and misleading,” said a spokesperson for the studio.
GTA fans have been on the edge of their seats at the rumours a new video is about to drop…Well the wait is over.We present: the public launch of the Rockstar IWGB Game Workers Union.Our platform, to tell our story.youtu.be/iLOq_6rOpoM
— RSGWU (@rsgworkersunion.bsky.social) 2026-05-28T11:30:42.468Z
