Rockstar union tribunal extended to eve of GTA VI launch

The employment case between Rockstar Games and its former staff will now finish on the eve of the launch of Grand Theft Auto VI.

Closing submissions in the UK employment tribunal, the court that decides workplace disputes, have moved to 17 and 18 November. The final hearing had been scheduled to run from 10 September to 16 October.

Witness questioning ran long. Rockstar's lawyers requested more time to cross-examine some of the dismissed employees, Eurogamer reported.

The new dates sit one day before release. Grand Theft Auto VI has a release date of 19 November 2026.

The case centres on more than 30 employees dismissed in late 2025 for alleged gross misconduct. All were present in a private union channel on Discord, a chat and organising app.

The Independent Workers' Union of Great Britain (IWGB), which represents the former staff, alleges the dismissals were an attempt at union-busting. Rockstar says they were for unauthorised sharing of information.

All 31 dismissed workers were IWGB members. The union has brought legal claims alleging unfair dismissal for union activity and blacklisting, the practice of shutting workers out of future jobs for organising. A tribunal earlier ruled against Rockstar's request to remove the blacklisting claims from the dispute.

The dismissals drew a wider response inside and outside the studio. In April 2026, 220 Rockstar staff signed letters to management calling for the immediate reinstatement of the 31 dismissed employees. UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer described the firing of 31 employees as "deeply concerning" in December 2025.

For players waiting on the game, the timetable has not changed the launch plan. Rockstar says Grand Theft Auto VI will arrive on 19 November 2026 for PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X|S, Rockstar Games has confirmed. Pre-load, the early download before release day, begins at local midnight on 12 November 2026.