GTA 6 Devs Accuse Rockstar Games of Crunch, Says Report

Grand Theft Auto 6 developer Rockstar Games is once again facing allegations regarding its workplace culture. According to a new report, members of the Rockstar Games Workers Union (RGWU) have accused the GTA 6 studio of ongoing issues involving crunch, inconsistent bonuses, and pay transparency issues, namely gender pay discrepancies.

The allegations also revive a conversation that has followed Rockstar Games for years. In the months leading up to the release of Red Dead Redemption 2, known industry reporter Jason Schreier (then-Kotaku, now-Bloomberg) published several investigations into Rockstar Games’ crunch culture where developers were forced to work long, long hours. In 2020, it was reported that Rockstar Games was working on these crunch issues and would release GTA 6 in smaller parts to ensure a stronger work environment. Six years later, that no longer seems to be the case.

Rockstar Explains Why It Fired GTA 6 Developers

Following union busting allegations from fired Rockstar Games workers, the studio offers its own explanation for firing the GTA 6 devs.

Rockstar Games’ Crunch Culture is Reportedly Back

According to the Game Developer report, three employees allege that Rockstar Games attempts to normalize crunch by baking it into the contracts of UK workers. They also state that there are teams within Rockstar Games that never have to crunch, but some departments working on GTA 6 or other projects “seem to never get out of it.” There is a bonus system in place, but not only does that not warrant issues within a workplace, but said bonus systems lack transparency and significantly affect annual pay, oftentimes undercutting what employees are supposed to make for the year. As a result, employees allegedly struggle to predict their total compensation, with some describing bonuses as a tool that can be used to pressure or influence staff rather than simply reward performance. The sources also alleged that gender pay gaps within the company have widened over time.

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One employee claimed Rockstar’s contracts include an opt-out of Working Time Regulations, allowing employees to work substantially more overtime than they otherwise could. According to the sources, crunch is still common despite Rockstar’s previous promises to improve working conditions and despite years of public scrutiny. No comparison is made between the crunch enforced on Red Dead Redemption 2 and Grand Theft Auto 6, but it’s worth noting that game development has only gotten harder and longer in the years since Red Dead 2‘s release.

At the same time, employees said unionization efforts for Rockstar Games devs have already begun producing results. According to one source, represented studios have seen significant wage increases since last October, along with changes to several long-standing workplace policies. Rockstar Games is set to meet with the new union soon in the spirit of “open and constructive dialogue.”

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Take-Two Interactive did issue a statement on these claims (also available in the Game Developer report), but whether or not the companies live up to their word will no doubt be a talking point ahead of GTA 6‘s release date and possibly after. In Take-Two’s own words,

“We strive to make the best games possible by giving our talented teams world-class work environments and ongoing career opportunities. We have fostered a culture which is focused on teamwork, excellence, and kindness, and where we support and reward the team across all levels of the business through competitive compensation and benefits policies. We are proud that, as a result, our employee retention is well above the industry standard. We have received a request from a union seeking to discuss voluntary recognition. We value an open and constructive dialogue with all stakeholders and will arrange to meet.”