Grand Theft Rockstar
I used to dream of working in the video game industry. While playing Grand Theft Auto London, I thought how great it must be! Wouldn’t it be great coming up with these ideas and implementing them, and watching people enjoy the open world you’ve created.
Now it’s different. Rockstar games (creators of the GTA series) have decided to out Meta Meta by injecting a dystopian storyline into real life.
That’s because their employees have started talking about making things better, not just in GTA 6 but in their real lives. As a result they’ve just been deactivated, like a bugged NPC.
Gross? Misconduct
According to BBC News, 31 employees were sacked from Rockstar North in October for what the company claims was “gross misconduct.” Their real crime? Allegedly talking about organizing a union… in a private forum. That’s right. Talking about working conditions. Not leaking game code. Not tweeting spoilers for GTA 6. Just discussing the idea of maybe, possibly asking for better treatment.
If Rockstar’s name weren’t already the epitome of corporate cognitive dissonance, it sure is now.
That’s not the corporation’s Take Two. They say discussing any experience at Rockstar is dangerous and leaks “confidential information”. I guess when your next title could sell a hundred million copies, any whisper of worker empowerment is treated like a player going crazy with a bazooka downtown.
The Deets
Jordan Garland, a senior coordinator with 11 years under his belt, put it plainly.
“We were so passionate about the industry… we just saw [unionizing] as something we could do to make it better”
Yeah, that’s not going to fly.
The worst part? This is an industry already infamous for crunch, burnout, and being told to “just be passionate” instead of asking for pay. Unionizing would actually help these companies by making workers more sustainable. But why make smart long-term choices when you can fire people and bring on fresh meat with no benefits?
And if you’re one of those developers still dreaming of joining a “cool” game studio, let me break it to you gently. Rockstar is not your friend. These firms aren’t “edgy rebels” anymore. They’re multinationals with HR departments larger than their physics engines.
Maybe the most depressing quote came from Sarah Blackburn, one of the dismissed.
“It’s been painful to be on this side of it”
She’s not alone. Most developers are already on the losing end of this equation, they just haven’t been publicly sacked for it yet.
Rockstar, of course, denies it all. Because of course they do. “This was about confidentiality” they say. Sure. And GTA is about promoting safe driving and no minors get their hands on the game.
Conclusion
Let’s be real. This wasn’t about keeping secrets. This was about keeping power.
It always is, isn’t it?
About The Author
Professional Software Developer “The Secret Developer” can be found on Twitter @TheSDeveloper.
The Secret Developer thinks about driving their software around a city at high speed with no regard for safety.