GTA 6 Dev's Union Hits Record Membership Amid Ongoing Layoff Row
The Rockstar Game Workers Union says it now has more members than ever before following the controversial layoffs, potentially putting mandatory recognition within reach.
The Rockstar Game Workers Union is growing fast. According to Eurogamer, the RGWU — formed earlier this year in direct response to the wave of job cuts at the Grand Theft Auto VI studio — now boasts its highest-ever membership numbers, a milestone that could carry real legal weight.
Under UK labor law, a union that reaches a sufficient proportion of workers in a bargaining unit can apply for mandatory recognition, meaning Rockstar would be legally required to negotiate with it. The RGWU's swelling ranks suggest that threshold may be within striking distance, though no formal application has been reported yet.
The union was established after Rockstar's layoffs sparked widespread outrage across the games industry, with many of those affected having contributed to the long development of GTA 6. The cuts drew particular criticism given the scale of the project and the years of crunch workers had already put in.
Whether Rockstar will engage voluntarily or wait to see if the union pursues the formal recognition route remains to be seen. Either way, the RGWU's momentum is clearly building — and with GTA 6 still in development, the labor situation at one of gaming's biggest studios isn't going away anytime soon.