The day GTA 6 pre-loading starts, unionizing Rockstar developers will vote on the studio’s future
By (Image credit: Rockstar)
The creators of GTA 6 at Rockstar Games will initiate the vote regarding the studio’s suggested union just as the latest Grand Theft Auto allows players to start pre-loading the game on PS5 and Xbox Series X.
The announcement of the upcoming Rockstar union vote originates from Aftermath, which relayed a statement from the Independent Workers’ Union of Great Britain (IWGB), a labor union with extensive influence, including a notable presence in the gaming sector. IWGB has assisted Rockstar developers in forming their own studio union to negotiate for benefits, rights, and safeguards.
The voting timeframe will take place from November 12 to November 26. GTA 6 is set to release on Thursday, November 19, with pre-loading for the eagerly awaited game commencing a week prior. Speculations suggest GTA 6 will require a 210GB download on PS5, making pre-loading quite beneficial.
While millions of players eagerly dive into the most-anticipated game ever, many of those who created it will be determining the prospects of their workplace. Should the vote pass, Rockstar will officially become unionized, marking a significant advancement for the already thriving labor movement in the broader gaming industry. Just this month, D&D and Magic The Gathering developers have unionized.
IWGB Game Workers shared Aftermath’s report online. The agreement, if approved, will “allow workers input on matters including compensation and bonuses, overtime, layoffs, flexible employment, and generative AI regulations,” the union emphasizes.
“The stipulations of the recognition arrangement, settled upon by employees and management, would afford workers a voice on subjects like salary and bonuses, overtime, layoffs, flexible work settings, and generative AI regulations,” a press announcement states (thanks, Rock Paper Shotgun).
Shanti Easton-Steel, a committee member of the Rockstar Game Workers Union, explained what is being voted on: “When management decisions are obscured, we cannot adequately address problems such as the gender pay disparity, the inconsistent and frequently shifting regulations on overtime compensation, or the anxieties many colleagues have regarding job stability following release.”
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