The controversial layoffs at Rockstar North have created a serious crisis within the company. Tensions are running high within the team responsible for the development of GTA 6. After the dismissal of 31 employees on the grounds of “secret information leakage”, a total of 220 current employees of the studio have signed a joint letter against the management in a sharp protest.
According to the information released by the Independent Workers’ Union (IWGB), the employees are demanding that the dismissed colleagues be immediately reinstated with their previous rights preserved. The letter submitted to the management emphasizes that the dismissals are groundless, non-transparent and unfair.
Rockstar management claims that the decisions were based on the leakage of confidential information within the company. However, employees and the union categorically deny this, stating that the controversial Discord server was created exclusively for union activities. This has intensified criticism of the company’s “anti-union policy”.
The joint statement signed by the employees is not just a document listing demands, but also a serious warning to the management. The statement notes that the fired employees were deliberately targeted, and that the atmosphere of trust within the company has been damaged. However, the collective message of solidarity both supports the fired employees and shows that current employees will not “give in to a climate of fear.”
These events at Rockstar North indicate that the company’s internal stability has been seriously disrupted while the development of GTA 6 continues. How management will respond to this crisis is being closely watched by both the gaming industry and gamers.
