GTA 6 Ex-Devs’ Final Hearing Opens With Union Rally

The final hearing in the dispute between 34 former Rockstar workers and the studio behind GTA VI begins Thursday, September 10. The case will be heard at the Glasgow Tribunals Centre and is scheduled to continue until at least October 15. According to Rock Paper Shotgun, the opening day will be preceded by a rally organized by the IWGB union.

The rally is scheduled for 8:30 AM outside the tribunal before the first session begins. The Independent Workers’ Union of Great Britain represents the dismissed workers and is organizing the event. The union says this final stage brings the group closer to a possible conclusion in the dispute.

The 34 workers were fired by Rockstar in November 2025. According to the published account, the conflict reportedly began with a discussion about a new company Slack policy inside a union-run Discord server. Rockstar justified the dismissals by accusing the workers of sharing “confidential information on a public forum.”

The IWGB disputes that explanation and has accused Rockstar of taking action against union organizing. Those opposing positions will be central to the hearing beginning in Glasgow. The case therefore covers both Rockstar’s stated reason for the dismissals and the claim that union activity motivated the decision.

In June, an employment tribunal ruled that the dismissed workers could bring blacklisting claims during the final hearing. That argument forms part of their case that Rockstar acted against staff because of their union activity. The ruling allowed the issue to be considered at this stage, but it did not determine the final outcome of the dispute.

Jason Lewis, an IWGB member and former Rockstar worker, said the group is reliving the heartbreak of being removed from a project to which they had devoted years. He said the workers lost their jobs, income, community and opportunity to see GTA VI through to release. His comments appeared in a union press release cited by Rock Paper Shotgun.

Lewis also said the campaign is intended to secure justice for the dismissed workers and draw a line against employers targeting unionization efforts. He described the journey as emotional and stressed that it is not over. However, the former worker said the finish line is now visible and that justice finally feels within reach.

Despite their dispute with Rockstar, the former workers are not calling for a boycott of GTA VI. They have instead asked supporters to purchase specially designed union merchandise. Proceeds will be directed to the group’s Fighting Fund.

As the case moves forward, remaining Rockstar developers and the IWGB are forming the Rockstar Games Workers Union. The group is seeking recognition from the company before GTA VI’s console release on November 19, 2026. The source does not state whether Rockstar intends to recognize the union within that timeframe.

For players waiting for the game, the request to avoid a boycott is the most direct practical point raised by the former workers. They are proposing an alternative form of support that does not require people to skip GTA VI. No change to the game’s price, access, platforms or release date has been tied to the hearing.

It remains unknown what the tribunal will decide or whether the hearing will end on October 15 rather than continue beyond that date. It is also unclear whether Rockstar will recognize the new union before November 19. The source does not establish whether the dispute will have any effect on GTA VI’s production or release.

The next concrete development will be the 8:30 AM rally and the opening of the hearing in Glasgow on September 10. From there, the former workers’ claims and Rockstar’s justification for the dismissals will enter the final stage described by the outlet. The information was published by Rock Paper Shotgun on September 8.