Former Rockstar Games employees involved in the studio’s ongoing labor dispute are asking fans not to boycott Grand Theft Auto VI despite their opposition to how the company handled their dismissals. Instead, the workers want players to support their legal campaign and efforts to strengthen union rights within the games industry.
The message comes from employees who were among the 31 UK-based Rockstar workers dismissed in October 2025. The Independent Workers’ Union of Great Britain (IWGB) says all 31 were members of its Game Workers Union, while Rockstar has maintained that the dismissals were related to the sharing of confidential information rather than union activity. The dispute is now heading toward a full employment tribunal hearing scheduled for September and October 2026.
Former Rockstar Developers Still Want Fans to Play GTA 6
One of the dismissed workers, Jack Hoxby, explained why the employees do not want their supporters to turn against the game itself.
“We poured years of our lives into helping build this game. We don’t want you to boycott it. We want you to help us fight for justice.”
The statement, shared through the IWGB’s X post, reflects the workers’ position that GTA 6 represents years of their own creative work. Rather than preventing fans from buying the game, they are asking supporters to separate the game from the dispute surrounding Rockstar’s workplace practices.
The workers have also suggested alternative ways for fans to contribute to their campaign. According to Hoxby, purchasing merchandise connected to the workers’ legal fund can help finance their ongoing fight.
The timing makes the dispute particularly significant. Rockstar is preparing to release Grand Theft Auto VI on November 19, 2026, while the employment tribunal case is scheduled to take place only weeks before launch.
The legal dispute has continued to develop throughout 2026. In June, an employment tribunal allowed the IWGB to continue pursuing blacklisting claims against Rockstar, while workers also launched a formal bid for voluntary union recognition at the company.
For the former developers, the goal is therefore not to stop GTA 6 from succeeding. They want the game’s enormous audience to help draw attention to their workplace dispute while supporting their push for stronger worker representation at Rockstar and across the wider games industry.
