Tribunal over Rockstar's dismissal of 34 staff begins in Glasgow

The full employment tribunal hearing over Rockstar's dismissal of 34 workers opened at the Glasgow Tribunal Centre on September 10, 2026, Game Developer reported. The former staff say they lost their jobs for organizing; Rockstar says they shared confidential company information.

Both sides

Of the 34 people let go in late 2025, 31 belonged to the IWGB (Independent Workers' Union of Great Britain) and three worked in Canada. The union says the workers were targeted because of their union involvement and that the way they were dismissed was also unlawful. The claimants want the tribunal to rule the dismissals unfair and to order reinstatement or compensation.

Rockstar's account is that the dismissals followed messages posted in a private Discord channel, which it says broke confidentiality agreements. A spokesperson told Game Developer the workers were "dismissed for gross misconduct following the sharing of confidential company information" and that Rockstar will defend the claims "vigorously."

Fired staff and supporters rallied outside the building as the hearing started. IWGB president Alex Marshall said the case "is about more than one studio, one workplace or one sector."

How the case got here

In January 2026 the workers' request for interim relief, an early order that UK tribunals rarely grant, was refused. Then in June, at a preliminary hearing, the tribunal turned down Rockstar's attempt to strike out the blacklisting claims, so those go to the full trial, Game Developer reported. The hearing was scheduled to run into mid-October, a few weeks before GTA VI's November 19 launch.

Both sides' claims remain untested until the tribunal rules. We will update this post when a judgment is reported.