The final hearing in the employment tribunal between Rockstar Games and 31 fired workers began in Scotland this week, as reported by Eurogamer and Rock Paper Shotgun. The Independent Workers Union of Great Britain (IWGB) alleges the company engaged in illegal union-busting practices, while Rockstar insists the employees were terminated for disclosing information about "upcoming and unannounced" games on a public forum.
According to Rock Paper Shotgun, Rockstar issued a statement saying it "rejects the claims" and will defend itself "vigorously." The hearing is scheduled to run until at least October 15. The IWGB held a rally in Glasgow ahead of proceedings, featuring speeches from former employees arguing that Rockstar's primary aim was to prevent union organizing.
As reported by GamesRadar, legal documents submitted by Rockstar revealed security challenges during development, including cases of extortion tied to leaks and drone surveillance at the studio's premises. The tribunal will determine whether the dismissals violated workers' rights or represented legitimate action to protect intellectual property.
GTA 6 is scheduled to launch on November 19 on PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X|S.
