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Dismissed Rockstar Devs Urge Fans Not to Boycott GTA 6

8/19/2026

Summary

Ex-Rockstar Appeals

Ex-Rockstar Games developers dismissed in October 2025 are urging fans not to boycott Grand Theft Auto VI.
The Independent Workers Union of Great Britain says the team built the game and seeks support.
They sell pre-order T-shirts, directing all proceeds to fund their legal costs.
An employment-tribunal hearing is scheduled for September 2026 in Glasgow.
Rockstar Games says the dismissals were for gross misconduct over alleged GTA VI leaks.

Summary

CyberLeek Leaks

CyberLeek posted GTA 6 taser gameplay, a cutscene, a memecoin, and a manifesto demanding bans on digital pre-orders, fake single-player DLC, and preservation of single-player content.
Rockstar Games and Take-Two Interactive issued takedown notices after the leaker warned with “No physical discs? Then more leeks!”.
Take-Two CEO Strauss Zelnick said the breach will not affect the November 19, 2026 launch, and Netflix will stream “Grand Theft Auto 6: An Extended Look” on August 27.

History

Historical Context

The California Department of Fair Employment and Housing sued Activision Blizzard in July 2021 over gender-based harassment, leading to a $54 million settlement in December 2023. The case sparked a wave of unionization, from the Raven Software Game Workers Alliance in 2022 to the 600-member Activision Quality Assurance United union in March 2024. These precedents shape the upcoming Glasgow tribunal and Take-Two’s legal strategy.

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Ex-Rockstar Appeals

Ex-Rockstar Games developers dismissed in October 2025 are urging fans not to boycott Grand Theft Auto VI.
The Independent Workers Union of Great Britain says the team built the game and seeks support.
They sell pre-order T-shirts, directing all proceeds to fund their legal costs.
An employment-tribunal hearing is scheduled for September 2026 in Glasgow.
Rockstar Games says the dismissals were for gross misconduct over alleged GTA VI leaks.

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