- A new detailed report reveals that Rockstar fired 34 employees over private Discord conversations, not GTA 6.
- The devs were allegedly fired for sharing internal company emails on a Discord server.
- The management viewed these discussions as a violation of workplace conduct rules and linked them to leaks.
Rockstar Games fired 34 employees a few weeks ago, amid accusations that the dismissals were intended to curb union-busting. Take-Two eventually stated that the layoffs were due to gross misconduct and leaking confidential information about GTA 6.
However, new information now suggests that these 34 employees were laid off only because of private conversations at the IWGB (Independent Workers’ Union of Great Britain) Discord server about new company policies regarding Slack.
Why it matters: Rockstar firing employees just over private Discord conversations that included no GTA 6 leaks could have major repercussions for the company moving forward, as protests and pressure continue to mount.
People Make Games obtained these Discord messages from a Rockstar source discussing a ‘Slack Purge,’ which saw many informal channels deleted to boost productivity.
The employees were unhappy with the changes and informed others about the new policy by sharing internal company emails. Rockstar found the Discord server after a complaint, which either contributed to or kicked off an investigation into the involved employees.
The messages […] directly contributed to the firings of these 34 former employees.
Rockstar seems to have applied a broad interpretation of its policy against sharing confidential information, viewing the discussion as a violation of workplace conduct rules and eventually linking it to GTA 6 leaks.
They couldn’t recall a single example of any confidential game details being shared.
Some of these developers had been with Rockstar Games for over 10 years, and all of them were escorted out of the office by security guards after they were terminated.
Multiple protests have taken place outside Rockstar’s offices to demand the reinstatement of the developers since the layoffs. IWGB is also taking legal action, intending to sue the company for unfair dismissals if its demands are not met.
Do you think Rockstar Games fired the 34 employees for a legitimate reason, or were they dismissed over a nothing burger? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below, or join the discussion on the Tech4Gamers forum.
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Shameer Sarfaraz has previously worked for eXputer as a Senior News Writer for several years. Now with Tech4Gamers, he loves to devoutly keep up with the latest gaming and entertainment industries. He has a Bachelor’s Degree in Computer Science and years of experience reporting on games. Besides his passion for breaking news stories, Shahmeer loves spending his leisure time farming away in Stardew Valley. VGC, IGN, GameSpot, Game Rant, TheGamer, GamingBolt, The Verge, NME, Metro, Dot Esports, GameByte, Kotaku Australia, PC Gamer, and more have cited his articles.
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