The tribunal over the Rockstar firings is now underway in Glasgow

The trial pitting Rockstar Games against some of the workers it dismissed in October 2025 is now underway. The hearing began on September 10 at the Glasgow Tribunals Centre and, according to the BBC, could run until October 16.

There are 23 claimants, drawn from the 31 employees dismissed in the UK - most of them at Rockstar North, the Edinburgh studio leading GTA VI’s development - and the 3 let go in Canada. The IWGB union argues the firings were retaliation for attempting to unionise and claims the company used lists of names to discriminate against those affected, with no disciplinary process or right of appeal.

Rockstar denies this. Its official position is that the dismissals were for “gross misconduct”: the employees allegedly shared confidential company information, including specific game features, on a Discord channel that was not private. In a statement, Rockstar North said its stance had been “clear and consistent throughout” and that it will defend itself “vigorously” before the tribunal.

The former employees, for their part, maintain that the forum was only used to discuss working conditions, not projects. The first day of the hearing drew a supportive rally outside the tribunal building.

The trial lands in the middle of the countdown to GTA VI’s launch, set for November 19, 2026. There is no sign the legal process will affect the game’s schedule, but its outcome could set a labor precedent for the industry. We will keep following the case and update when there is a ruling.