Former Rockstar Games collaborators, who claim they were dismissed for being involved in the formation and support of a union, are asking players to refrain from boycotting Grand Theft Auto VI (GTA 6).
Instead of suspending the purchase of the title, the developers want fans to support the lawsuit filed against Rockstar by purchasing T-shirts. The profits from these sales will be allocated to both the laid-off workers and the litigation costs.
This appeal was released in a new video made available by the Independent Workers’ Union of Great Britain (IWGB). Three of the more than thirty former employees affected by the layoffs participate in the material, detailing how the community can assist the group.
The workers stated: 'Do not boycott GTA 6. Achieve justice for the people who helped make it.'
Despite the conflict with Rockstar, the creators emphasized that they still want the public to have contact with GTA 6.
According to the employees, they dedicated years of effort, talent, and creativity to the production of the franchise, and a boycott would prevent players from knowing the universe they helped build. However, the group clarifies that buying GTA 6 does not mean ignoring the allegations against the company.
They affirmed: 'We spent years putting our hard work, skill, and creativity into creating GTA, and we want people to experience the universe we helped build.' The information disclosed indicates that more than 30 Rockstar employees, who were engaged in a unionization process, suffered sudden dismissals in October 2025.
The IWGB accused Rockstar of practicing union repression, classifying the event as one of the most aggressive and explicit episodes of union dismantling in the history of the gaming industry. Rockstar, in turn, maintains that the dismissals occurred due to the leak of information regarding GTA 6.
In November 2025, the union formalized legal action against the company. The final trial to determine whether Rockstar violated the law is scheduled to begin in September 2026.
With the trial approaching, the former employees began soliciting financial aid from players. The group highlights the considerable disparity in resources between the union and Rockstar. According to the workers, the IWGB is a small entity with limited legal capacity when facing a corporation valued in billions.
To raise funds, T-shirts featuring the name and logo of the IWGB, as well as a new design conceived by the dismissed developers themselves, were launched. The amount raised will be used to support the workers and cover the costs of the legal dispute.
The developers communicated: 'If you love GTA but hate union repression, do not boycott the game; support our legal battle.' This mobilization occurs just months before one of the most anticipated releases in the gaming sector. GTA 6 is scheduled to debut on November 19, 2026, available for PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X|S.
Even amidst the litigation, the former developers do not intend for the launch to become a focus of protests. The adopted strategy aims to dissociate the professional work done in developing the game from the accusations made against Rockstar while seeking support for the process set to begin in September.