Rockstar Games has confirmed that the recent dismissal of several dozen employees was due to “gross misconduct” related to the leaking and sharing of confidential company information on public forums.
The studio, best known for the upcoming GTA VI, said that internal investigations revealed certain staff members were distributing and discussing sensitive data without authorization.
However, the Independent Workers’ Union of Great Britain (IWGB) criticized Rockstar’s move, telling Bloomberg that the company is “prioritizing union-busting by targeting the very people who make the game.” The union has announced plans to protest on Thursday morning in response.