Rockstar Games has laid off between 30 and 40 employees across its UK and Canada studios, just as GTA 6’s wait stretched into 2026.
GTA 6 remains one of the most anticipated video games of all time, with expectations for new systems, a vast open world, and groundbreaking realism. Fans were already adjusting to news that its release had shifted to May 26, 2026, after Rockstar said the extra months would help meet its trademark quality standards.
Excitement stayed high thanks to record-breaking trailer views and the promise of revisiting Vice City in an expanded, more interactive form. Still, the longer the delay stretched, the more fans questioned if it might slip again into late 2026. Industry analysts suggested Rockstar’s full return to office and large-scale technical ambitions were driving that risk, even as Take-Two reaffirmed the May release in investor calls.
Rockstar faces union-busting claims after staff layoffs
According to a Bloomberg report by Jason Schreier, Rockstar terminated between 30 and 40 staffers this week. The Independent Workers’ Union of Great Britain claimed the firings were aimed at stopping unionization efforts inside the studio.
“All of the affected employees were part of a private union chat group on Discord,” the union said, calling it “one of the most blatant acts of union busting in gaming history.”
Take-Two’s spokesperson denied that claim, saying the employees were dismissed for “gross misconduct, and for no other reason.” The company added it supported Rockstar’s “ambitions and approach.”
The controversy follows months of tension over Rockstar’s in-office policy, reinstated five days a week in 2024 after a major GTA 6 leak exposed dozens of unfinished clips. The studio said the move was partly for security reasons.
For now, GTA 6 remains slated for May 2026, but after layoffs and mounting pressure, the future of Rockstar’s development culture looks more fragile than ever.
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