- Rockstar Games has been accused of enabling harsh conditions through employee contracts
- Union members denounce a lack of transparency in terms of salaries and bonuses among staff. Grand Theft 6 studio
- The union accuses the studio of having abandoned initiatives aimed at combating wage inequalities between the sexes.
Grand Theft Auto 6 studio and industry giant Rockstar Games has been accused of unfair working conditions, including fostering a crisis culture, failing to address gender-based pay inequities, and weaponizing bonuses.
Three members of the Rockstar Game Workers Union (RGWU) spoke to Game Developer in a wide-ranging interview – although they wished to remain anonymous for fear of retaliation – and claimed the studio was trying to normalize the crisis.
“The crisis is widespread enough that the company has included in our contracts, as standard, an opt-out of working time regulations which prevents your employer from asking you to work more than 10 hours of overtime per week,” explained a source, referring to the British protection which employees can voluntarily waive.
“The union successfully ran a campaign to let people know they could revert to the regulations at any time, which allowed Rockstar management to simplify the process and remove the requirement to meet with HR,” the source added.
“Part of the problem with the crisis is that there is no agreed definition, and it now appears that the company thinks that offering specific, limited pay to incentivize overtime means it no longer constitutes a crisis.”
While some teams at Rockstar never make it, it’s claimed that there are also departments that “seem to never make it – and often colleagues don’t realize the opposing group exists.”
The interview also includes claims that workers have been forced to return to the office and forgo the benefits of hybrid or remote work, a mandate that would not apply to company executives, and there is a lack of transparency around salaries and bonuses.
A “considerable portion” of most employees’ compensation comes in the form of bonuses that fluctuate, often without obvious justification. It is claimed that the pay workers receive is below market rate compared to working in the adjacent industry, with one source saying: “When the bonus is particularly good it can be a bargain, but often the bonus is disappointing and one can end up being paid considerably less than expected for the year.”
“The reasoning put forward is often nebulous, inconsistent between departments, even inconsistent between team members within the same department, and is sometimes based on completely subjective or retroactive criticism.”
Promotions are also said to be difficult to come by at the studio, as Rockstar regularly changes goals when it comes to career progression.
“The main problem is that [bonuses and progression are] It’s all completely discretionary for the company, and they have no obligation to show their work,” the source added. “Employees want a good salary, and if literally everything they do that year could affect it, they will naturally feel that they have to bend as much as possible to their boss’s whims. Imagine [how you might feel if] a fifth of your salary could be withheld without any justification or based on a single surprise factor.”
Gender-based pay inequality is another issue discussed by union members, informing Game Developer that the gap between median salaries of different genders has widened at Rockstar and that initiatives to address this imbalance have been abandoned.
Union workers say all of these problems have created a sense of imbalance and unfairness within the studio and believe employees are not paid enough. GTA6which is expected to be the biggest game launch of all time.
A Take-Two Interactive spokesperson provided a statement to the game developer in response to the claims. It reads: “We strive to create the best games possible by providing our talented teams with world-class work environments and ongoing career opportunities. We have fostered a culture focused on teamwork, excellence and kindness, and where we support and reward the team at all levels of the company 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 open and constructive dialogue with all stakeholders and will arrange a meeting.”
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