Rockstar Games’ UK workers will vote from November 12 to 26, 2026 on recognising a union, the Independent Workers’ Union of Great Britain (IWGB). The vote opens the day GTA 6 preloading starts and closes a week after the game launches on November 19, as Kotaku reported on October 27. Analysis It doesn’t change the release date or the game you get.
What the vote decides
- Union recognition. The vote decides whether Rockstar’s UK workers get a recognised union. According to Kotaku, a recognition deal would give them a say on pay and bonuses, overtime, redundancies, flexible working and policies on generative AI.
- Why it went to a vote. Workers asked Rockstar to recognise the union voluntarily before launch, and union members have met management since July to negotiate a deal. That didn’t happen, so the question goes to the workers instead.
- How big it would be. Kotaku says it would be the largest recognised union in the UK games industry if it passes.
The dates next to GTA 6’s launch
| Date | What happens |
|---|---|
| October 27, 2026 | The vote is announced |
| November 12, 2026 | Voting opens; GTA 6 preloading starts |
| November 17 and 18, 2026 | Closing submissions expected at the employment tribunal |
| November 19, 2026 | GTA 6 launches on PS5 and Xbox Series X|S |
| November 26, 2026 | Voting closes |
The background: the 2025 dismissals
In October 2025, Rockstar fired 31 people involved in the union effort, and union members say it was union busting. Rockstar has said they were dismissed “for gross misconduct, and for no other reason”, and later said they had discussed confidential company matters in a channel outside the company. The case is before a UK employment tribunal, which Kotaku says has been hearing it for several weeks. The vote doesn’t settle that case.
What it means for players
Analysis Nothing changes for launch. A recognition vote is not a strike, and Take-Two has kept GTA 6 on November 19. It is still worth knowing about: the people who made the game are deciding how they work at Rockstar in the same weeks the game comes out. We’ll add the result here after voting closes on November 26.
Common questions
Will the union vote delay GTA 6?
Analysis There is no sign of it. The vote is about union recognition, and Take-Two has kept the November 19 date. Our release date post tracks every official change.
Who can vote?
Rockstar’s workers in the UK, according to Kotaku. The report doesn’t say which of Rockstar’s UK studios are included or whether every UK employee can vote.
