Rockstar, whose upcoming sixth edition of the cash-cow series is among the hottest releases of 2026, has accused the employees of “distributing and discussing confidential information in a public forum, a violation of our company policies”.
“Grand Theft Auto 6” will be set in Miami-inspired Vice City and star a female protagonist. Photo / Getty Images
But the Independent Workers’ Union of Great Britain (IWGB), which called the demonstration, rejected that claim, arguing that the sacked workers were all members of a private discussion channel linked to the union.
Rockstar did not immediately respond to an AFP inquiry.
GTA VI is on course to become one of the biggest entertainment product launches of all time.
As popular as it is notorious for its sexual and violent content, the franchise has allowed players to roleplay as criminals doing dirty deeds across sprawling cityscapes since its first entry in 1997.
Outlaw couple?
The newest game was originally due to be released later this year, with a trailer having shown that it would be set in Miami-like Vice City and would feature a playable female protagonist for the first time.
Set to the Tom Petty song Love Is A Long Road, it opens with a female character named Lucia being released from prison in what appears to be a fictionalised version of Florida.
Near the close of the one-minute-and-30-second clip, she tells her male partner in crime: “The only way we are going to get through this is by sticking together, being a team.”
The pair go on to burst into a store with pistols drawn and bandanas covering the lower halves of their faces.
Fans saw the scene as confirmation that rumours of a “Bonnie and Clyde” type crime couple are coming true.
Along with its wild success, the GTA series has faced criticism over its violent content.
Critics have from the beginning accused Grand Theft Auto of glorifying violence and encouraging players to engage in criminal behaviour – allegations rejected by New York-based Take-Two Interactive.
GTA players sell drugs, fight, rob, go on car rampages and more. Gameplay options also included assaulting sex workers and going to strip clubs, raising the ire of activists.
-Agence France-Presse