New Report Claims to Reveal Messages That Got GTA 6 Developers Fired

The Grand Theft Auto 6 developers dismissed by Rockstar for gross misconduct were allegedly fired for leaking internal policies on Slack emoji use, though this may not have been the only reason. That’s according to a new report that reveals some of the messages believed to have contributed to the latest GTA 6 controversy.

In late October 2025, Rockstar fired 34 GTA 6 developers, alleging they had leaked company secrets via a private Discord server. The server was reportedly created by the Independent Workers Union of Great Britain (IWGB), which had reached 200 Rockstar North members just a week before the firings, surpassing the 10% legal threshold required to seek formal recognition and initiate collective bargaining. By dismissing dozens of its members, Rockstar is said to have reduced union membership below that threshold, which is why the affected employees are calling the dismissals a blatant act of union busting, rejecting gross misconduct claims.

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Union Discord Server That Got GTA 6 Developers Fired Detailed in New Report

A new report by YouTube channel People Make Games (PMG) claims to reveal new details about the IWGB Discord server, which some of the fired GTA 6 developers described as neither new nor controversial. The server has reportedly been active since 2022, with a public #general channel used to share information about the union with interested parties. It also included restricted channels dedicated to union organizing, accessible only to IWGB members. In the weeks leading up to the firings, the server reportedly had around 300 users—mostly IWGB members (~200), along with prospective members and union reps. The server featured guidelines outlining what could legally be discussed, including topics such as pay and working conditions. While some former staffers interviewed by PMG said they could not recall confidential information ever being shared, the report suggests Rockstar may have used a broader interpretation of “confidential” than is commonly understood.

Leaked Examples of Typical Discussions on Rockstar Union Discord Server

GTA 6 Developer Firings Were Reportedly Preceded by Rockstar’s ‘Slack Purge’

The events leading up to the firings trace back to early October 2025, when Rockstar reportedly removed several miscellaneous channels from its official Slack server, including those dedicated to pets, arts and crafts, music, and gaming interests. The company allegedly cited these channels as sources of distraction and, in some cases, unprofessional behavior. The decision was said to have been poorly received by some employees, who reportedly referred to it as a “Slack purge” and voiced their frustration on the union Discord server.

Leaked Examples of GTA 6 Devs Discussing Rockstar’s Slack Channel Purge

Why the Seedling Emoji Carries a Special Meaning for GTA 6 Developers

In addition to casual discussions about gaming preferences, the recently removed #misc-gaming channel on Rockstar’s Slack server was reportedly also where employees shared industry news. Here, a trend developed of using the seedling emoji (🌱) to react to news about mass layoffs, showing solidarity with affected workers and symbolizing the growing support for company-wide unionization. Underscoring its cultural significance, the emoji also appeared on banners held by some of the dismissed GTA 6 developers during protests outside Rockstar North offices in early November 2025. Several of the recently fired employees interviewed by PMG have speculated that Rockstar was intentionally trying to curtail this symbolic activity by closing the #misc-gaming Slack channel. “I’m going to miss straight up firing in [sic] games unionization news at 8am every day,” one of the former staffers wrote on the Discord server that ultimately got them fired.

Rockstar Reportedly Banned the Seedling Emoji on Its Slack Channel, But Not Directly

The IWGB Rockstar union Discord server gave rise to an effort to formulate a collective open letter against the management’s decision to remove the miscellaneous channels, one of the leaked messages from early October 2025 reveals. Around that time is when Rockstar reportedly announced new Slack policies, including stricter guidelines on status messages, banning emojis. This is another move that some of the fired employees are said to have interpreted as management growing “tired of Palestine flags and seedlings.”

Leaked Messages of GTA 6 Devs Reacting to Rockstar’s Slack Emoji Ban

Rockstar’s Slack Emoji Ban Email Was Reportedly Transcribed on Union Discord Server in Possible Violation of Company Policies

Discussion of the email announcing Rockstar’s Slack emoji ban on the IWGB Discord server may have played a central role in the company’s official justification for the firings. Due to GTA 6 and other company projects suffering major leaks over the years, Rockstar reportedly enforces a strict policy allowing employees to access work emails only while in the office. However, the email outlining the October 2025 Slack policy changes was reportedly sent outside standard office hours—after 5pm UK time on October 6—preventing many affected employees from reading it when it was issued. As a result, its contents were shared on the IWGB Discord server. PMG’s report indicates at least one message directly quoted it, while another included a full transcript of the email, which the author claimed to have created by photographing their office screen and auto-transcribing the image with an unidentified optical character recognition (OCR) tool. This act may have constituted a breach of company policy.

One Union Discord Member Allegedly Reported the Email Leak to Rockstar Management

One of PMG’s sources claims this act of sharing internal company communications is what prompted at least one member of the IWGB Discord server to approach Rockstar North management to “express concerns about the discussions taking place” on the platform. It’s unclear if studio higher-ups were already aware of the Discord server at the time, but this act is believed to have contributed to the investigation that ultimately led to the controversial firings of 34 GTA 6 developers for gross misconduct. Less than three weeks have passed between the Discord discussion being reported and the late October 2025 firings.

Rockstar declined to comment on PMG’s new report, which claims some of the terminated employees had been with the company for over 10 years, while others were on work visas and now face the risk of having to leave the UK. The IWGB launched legal action against the GTA 6 developer in mid-November 2025, demanding that the fired employees be reinstated. The trade union said it intends to sue Rockstar over unfair dismissals should its demand not be met.

Systems

Released

November, 2026

ESRB

Rating Pending – Likely Mature 17+

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