Take-Two Interactive and Rockstar Video games have been busy. GTA 6 was delayed yesterday, information that broke alongside Take-Two’s quarterly earnings name. And simply final week, Rockstar fired between 30 and 40 staff, claiming later that they have been “distributing and discussing confidential data in a public discussion board” towards firm coverage. The fired staff, nevertheless, say they have been taking part in a union-related Discord chat, and that their firing was “blatant” and “ruthless” union busting.
Amid all this, Take-Two CEO Strauss Zelnick is defending the corporate’s tradition and labor file, saying Take-Two is “extremely proud” of its labor relations.
Talking to IGN yesterday forward of the earnings announcement, Zelnick pointed me to Take-Two and Rockstar’s current public statements after I requested if he had any response to the allegations of union busting, and reiterating that “we totally assist Rockstar.”
So then I requested Zelnick, what’s Take-Two’s stance on unions, typically? Zelnick didn’t reply to that particular query. However here is what he did say:
“Right here’s what we’ve got a stance on. We worth each considered one of our colleagues significantly. We now have 13,500 colleagues worldwide. We’re so happy with our tradition. In the previous few years we’ve been acknowledged over 15 occasions as an employer of alternative… we’ve been licensed this yr as a fantastic place to work within the U.S. and UK, Forbes not too long ago referred to as us one of many world’s finest employers, and additional… our attrition charge is half or much less of the trade common. To be particular, our world attrition charge is simply over 6%, within the UK it is lower than 4%. The trade common is over 12%, and Rockstar is even decrease than our common.”
“So, , the proof is within the pudding, and the meals is sweet, and I feel our tradition is extraordinary. And we attempt to be essentially the most inventive, most revolutionary, and best firm within the enterprise. In order that’s how we have a look at it. We’re extremely happy with our labor relations.”
[A Take-Two spokesperson later clarified Rockstar’s global attrition rate is 4%, and in the UK it is “half that number.” IGN followed up to ask for the source of the over 12% industry average attrition. The spokesperson clarified it was for “entertainment and tech” and that the source was Take-Two’s own internal research: “we use a variety of related data platforms/sources to compile.”]
Zelnick’s response comes amid ongoing uproar over the firings, with affected staff and supporters picketing exterior Rockstar and Take-Two’s UK workplaces yesterday. In line with the Impartial Employees Union of Nice Britain (IWGB), the one non-Rockstar folks contained in the personal union Discord have been union organizers. IWGB boss Alex Marshall issued IGN the next assertion:
“Rockstar proceed to deflect from the actual motive for these dismissals: they’re afraid of exhausting working workers privately discussing exercising their rights for a fairer office and a collective voice. Administration are displaying they don’t care about delays to GTA 6, and that they’re prioritising union busting by focusing on the very individuals who make the sport.
“Lately, Rockstar executives have benefited from £443 million in tax aid, whereas displaying whole disregard for the regulation or the livelihoods of their workers. At each flip, they’ve chosen earnings over each employees and followers of their video games. The one non Rockstar staff within the union Discord channel have been union organisers.”
Rockstar maintains that the firings have been for “gross misconduct, and for no different motive.”
Rockstar North and Take-Two Workplace Protest Photographs Nov 2025
This is not the primary occasion of labor unrest on the firm. Final yr, the studio requested staff to return to the workplace 5 days every week, citing a need for each elevated productiveness and safety following a large leak of the in-development GTA 6 in 2022 and the day-early launch of GTA 6 Trailer 1 the next yr. The choice was criticized by employees affiliated with the IWGB, who stated Rockstar broke guarantees with the pressured return to workplace, and accused the studio of refusing to have interaction with employees on the difficulty.
GTA 6 is now scheduled for launch on November 19, 2026.
Rebekah Valentine is a senior reporter for IGN. You’ll find her posting on BlueSky @duckvalentine.bsky.social. Received a narrative tip? Ship it to rvalentine@ign.com.
