According to Eurogamer.net, Rockstar Games fired 34 staff members last month for “gross misconduct” after internal company messages were shared and discussed on a private Discord server. The invite-only server, established in 2022, was limited to Rockstar employees and representatives from the UK’s Independent Workers’ Union of Great Britain (IWGB). Most conversations focused on salaries, bonuses, and HR issues—topics protected under the Equality Act of 2010. The catalyst appears to be discussions about Rockstar’s new internal Slack policies, including the removal of non-work channels and restrictions on emoji usage. IWGB president Alex Marshall accused Rockstar of trying to prevent employee communication about pay and conditions. Over 200 Rockstar employees have since signed a letter condemning the dismissals, while the IWGB has launched a legal claim alleging unfair dismissal.
Union-Busting or Protecting Confidentiality?
Here’s the thing that makes this situation so messy. On one hand, Rockstar has every right to be paranoid about leaks after their history with major game reveals getting out early. But the messages shared in this Discord server weren’t about upcoming games or confidential projects—they were about internal Slack policy changes that directly affected how employees could communicate. Basically, workers were discussing the very tools they use to do their jobs.
And let’s be real—when a company suddenly fires 34 people for discussing workplace policies in what was supposed to be a private, union-protected space, it’s going to raise eyebrows. The timing is particularly suspicious: Slack policy changes happened in mid-October, and by month’s end, 34 people were gone. That’s not exactly subtle.
The Broader Pattern
What’s really concerning here is the pattern. Rockstar employees can’t access work emails outside the office, they’re cracking down on non-work Slack channels, and now they’re monitoring private Discord servers? It feels like they’re systematically closing off every avenue for employees to communicate freely.
Remember when employees used gaming channels to share news about industry layoffs and showed support with seedling emojis? Or used status flags to express solidarity with important causes? Under the new policies, all that’s gone. So where exactly are workers supposed to have these conversations if not in a private union space?
Legal Battle Ahead
The IWGB isn’t backing down from this fight. They’ve launched a legal claim arguing these were unfair dismissals, and they make a compelling case that union representatives being present in the Discord is completely normal and legally protected. When workers join a union, they typically get support from union staff—that’s literally how unions work.
But here’s the question: will Rockstar’s “gross misconduct” argument hold up in court when the discussions were about workplace conditions rather than confidential game information? And with over 200 current employees signing that condemnation letter, it’s clear this isn’t just about the fired workers—there’s significant internal discontent brewing.
What This Means For Game Dev
This situation reflects a much bigger tension in the gaming industry. Companies want tight control over communication, especially with remote work becoming more common. But workers increasingly want transparency about pay, conditions, and the ability to organize. When you combine that with the crunch culture Rockstar has been criticized for in the past, you’ve got a perfect storm.
Look, game development requires sophisticated technology infrastructure, from development workstations to testing environments. While consumer tech gets most of the attention, the industrial computing side—like the specialized industrial panel PCs used in manufacturing and development environments—plays a crucial role in creating these billion-dollar franchises. The tools matter, but so does how people are allowed to use them to communicate.
Ultimately, this case could set a precedent for how companies handle employee organizing in digital spaces. If Rockstar wins, we might see more companies cracking down on private employee communications. If the union prevails, it could empower workers across the industry to organize more openly. Either way, the fallout from those 34 firings is just beginning.
