A Rockstar North employee described a severe situation inside the studio following the second delay of GTA 6 to November 19, 2026. According to the source, team morale has sunk to “an all‑time low” after 30–40 experienced staff were dismissed, and the insider claims the reasons were solely tied to opposing union activity.
Most of those dismissed were active in union‑organizing committees at Rockstar’s UK offices.
Remaining employees are working in fear:
“Those of us fortunate enough to remain are living in fear — afraid even when we speak quietly over a cup of tea; afraid we’ll be next and simply discarded; afraid to step outside the studio and speak (or even admit) to colleagues protesting outside because we fear reprisals.”
The insider said the layoffs included lead artists, animators, testers, designers, programmers and producers, many of whom contributed to multiple Rockstar titles. “Studio morale is at its lowest point, even though we should have been optimistic about what’s ahead. Trust and confidence among colleagues have been completely undermined.”
“These colleagues were true stalwarts who held key roles at R* for many years. Many had been with R* for more than 18 years and had no disciplinary records. They are not easy to replace and their departure will almost certainly affect project timelines.”
Source: iXBT.games