Simply yesterday, Grand Theft Auto 6 developer Rockstar Video games knowledgeable its staff they’d be returning to the workplace full-time and scrapping distant work. These staff have responded to the mandate, they usually’re not joyful. Some GTA 6 devs are even stating they worry a return to the “poisonous ‘crunch’ practices” for which Rockstar was identified through the growth of video games like Pink Useless Redemption 2 and GTA V.
GTA 6 devs accuse Rockstar of damaged guarantees
Rockstar has been attempting to encourage its staff to return to the workplace since final 12 months. When the developer tried to implement a transition to a three-day workplace week in 2023, Rockstar claimed “this isn’t our first step to five days every week. Nobody desires to return to the previous approach of working.” Now the GTA 6 devs are accusing Rockstar of breaking their guarantees following yesterday’s mandate that staff return to workplace full-time.
An nameless worker instructed VGC that Rockstar is eradicating a distant working lifeline that allowed them to “stability care obligations, handle disabilities, and relocate as we want.” They continued:
Rockstar is snatching away that lifeline and not using a second thought for the employees who’ll be impacted most. After so many damaged guarantees we now worry administration could even be paving the way in which for a return to poisonous ‘crunch’ practices. Senior management must rethink their reckless determination making and interact with their workers to seek out an association that works for everybody.
Rockstar had gained fairly a fame for its “poisonous crunch practices” throughout earlier video games. Lots of the accusations towards the corporate concerned 100-hour weeks, obligatory time beyond regulation, and worry techniques. As such, earlier stories had claimed GTA 6 can be delayed till 2025 to keep away from these crunch circumstances.
Nevertheless, obligatory time beyond regulation was a priority for one more nameless worker who mentioned “simply one among my considerations is being pressured to work late hours within the workplace to keep up contact with international groups when earlier than we might go online from residence to attend late conferences.” The considerations have meant that the IWGB Recreation Staff Union has additionally issued a press release condemning Rockstar’s actions:
The employees within the IWGB Recreation Staff Union at Rockstar are pushing for transparency over pay and promotions, a wholesome and inclusive office tradition, and work life stability centred round what every employee wants. It’s unacceptable that Rockstar management have gone again on their phrase time and time once more and have ignored the employees’ requests for fundamental working circumstances.
Staff throughout the trade are performed with letting executives make reckless and dangerous choices and the Rockstar staff are exhibiting us the beginning of what’s to return in the event that they’re regularly ignored. There’s no higher time than now to affix our union and push for this to be the wholesome and sustainable video games trade we all know it may be.
IWGB Recreation Staff Union chairman Austin Kelmore
Rockstar is but to remark.