Rockstar employee shares account of the company's union-busting efforts

Reaction to Rockstar Allegations

• Many express disappointment and anger, especially from fans of GTA and Red Dead, framing Rockstar’s actions as typical of large, profit‑driven corporations.
• Some say they’ll skip or delay buying GTA 6; others admit they’ll probably still buy it, noting that “good people” also worked on the game.
• Several point out that Rockstar’s long history of crunch and anti‑worker culture makes these allegations unsurprising.

Capitalism, Profit Motives, and Crunch

• A recurring theme is that union‑busting, wage theft, and abusive conditions are a rational outcome of capitalism’s demand for endless growth and higher profit.
• Others counter that any hierarchical system (capitalist or not) risks abuse, and that strong regulation, taxes, and unions are what keep capitalism tolerable.
• One commenter claims “great games” come from crunch and stress; others strongly reject this as myth, arguing that crunch is mostly about mismanagement and power, not creative necessity.

Unions: Benefits, Risks, and Organizing

• Pro‑union voices stress that union‑busting is illegal in both the UK and US, and encourage filing complaints with UK employment tribunals and the US NLRB; some share personal wins in such cases.
• There’s a fundraiser linked for the Rockstar workers’ legal fight; people debate why a union needs to crowdfund instead of using its own war chest.
• Several describe positive union experiences: better pay, benefits, WFH protections, and spillover gains even for non‑union shops.
• Anti‑union commenters argue unions can entrench mediocrity, make firing poor performers difficult, and sometimes wield “too much power” (e.g., in some US public and construction sectors). Others reply that this is not inherent and depends heavily on local law and union culture.

Comparisons to Other Game Companies

• Valve is frequently contrasted: seen by many as treating customers relatively well, running Steam competently, and avoiding mandatory crunch; critics highlight 30% platform fees, lootbox‑driven gambling, and alleged internal culture issues.
• Some argue big co‑ops or worker‑owned studios could avoid these dynamics, but note indie‑scale co‑ops already exist and face different constraints.

Consumer Power and Boycotts

• Debate over “voting with your wallet”:
  • Critics say it’s weak because workers are already paid before launch and supply chains are opaque.
  • Supporters cite recent high‑profile boycotts (e.g., in retail and gaming) that hurt revenue and executives.
• General pessimism that gamers will sustain a boycott against a franchise as big as GTA, despite ethical concerns.