Take-Two Interactive CEO and chairman Strauss Zelnick has said he is 'not in the least' concerned that controversy over alleged union-busting at Rockstar Games will affect the upcoming launch of Grand Theft Auto 6. Zelnick made the comments to The Game Business following Take-Two's latest financial earnings report.
The dispute stems from the firing of 31 people at Rockstar North in Edinburgh, all of whom were reportedly members of the IWGB Game Workers Union, for what the company called 'gross misconduct.' An employment tribunal battle has since developed between the IWGB Game Workers Union and Rockstar over whether the firings amounted to union-busting. A trial on the matter is set to begin on September 10.
In response to the firings, a Rockstar Game Workers Union was established earlier this year, and as of last month it reportedly had more members than ever before. The controversy has drawn wider attention, having been discussed by former UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer and in Parliament.
Addressing the situation, Zelnick said Take-Two is 'very proud' of its labor relations, describing an 'extraordinary work force' of 13,000 employees worldwide and citing what he called the lowest attrition rate in the business, with Rockstar's rate said to be half that of the wider industry.
Separately, Zelnick reiterated confidence that Grand Theft Auto 6 remains on track for its November 19, 2026 release date, telling investors the company has a 'high degree of confidence' in the launch and expects net bookings of $8-8.2 billion in its 2027 fiscal year, driven largely by the game. Pre-orders for GTA 6 are already open, and an extended look at the game is set to debut on Netflix later this month.
GTA 6 is expected to become the best-selling blockbuster game of all time, though it would still have a long way to go to approach Minecraft's more than 350 million sales. Whether the union dispute affects public perception of the game remains uncertain, with the outcome of the tribunal battle now a matter for the courts.