Rockstar Games and Take-Two Face Renewed Criticism Over Tax Relief

Rockstar Games’ British operations have once again come under intense scrutiny following the disclosure of the company’s financial results for the 2024/25 fiscal year (spanning April 6 to April 5).

• Record-Breaking Gains: Annual profits reached a staggering £87 million—the second-highest performance in the studio’s history. Over the last decade, cumulative profits have now eclipsed the £600 million mark.
• Robust Revenue: Earnings hit £508 million, marking the fourth consecutive year that the company has surpassed the half-billion-pound milestone.
• Executive Payouts: Top-tier leadership received £85 million in dividends. The bulk of these payouts was directed to the founding brothers, Sam and Dan Houser, who remain among the wealthiest residents in the United Kingdom.
• Public Subsidies: The company claimed over £70 million through the Video Games Tax Relief (VGTR) scheme. Since the program’s inception nearly 12 years ago—designed to offer 20% production cost rebates to stimulate the local industry—Rockstar’s total claims have reached a massive £504 million.

This reliance on taxpayer-funded incentives has reignited a fierce public discourse. The backlash is being spearheaded by the Independent Workers of Great Britain (IWGB) union, which is currently locked in a legal dispute with Rockstar over employee terminations.

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This isn’t the first time Rockstar has faced criticism for accepting government aid. In recent years, the distribution of taxpayer funds to the creators of global juggernauts like GTA 5 and RDR 2 has frequently sparked public outrage.

Defending its position, Rockstar issued a statement to The Scotsman, noting:

Since the introduction of VGTR in 2014, the company has invested enormously in the United Kingdom, creating more than a thousand jobs in the creative sector across Scotland and England. Rockstar’s commitment to local investment has helped put the UK at the cutting edge of entertainment globally and contributed significantly to UK economic growth, skills and innovation.

Source: gta.com.ua