Former employees of Rockstar Games, the studio behind the highly anticipated "Grand Theft Auto VI," have filed a legal appeal in Glasgow, claiming they were fired for participating in union activities or for allegedly sharing confidential information. The employment tribunal, set to begin this week, will examine the cases of about 20 former workers dismissed in October 2025 from locations in Lincoln, England, and Edinburgh and Dundee, Scotland, as well as three employees in Canada. The union, the Independent Workers' Union of Great Britain (IWGB), is seeking either their reinstatement or financial compensation for 23 individuals, arguing that their dismissals were unlawful, as they lacked proper disciplinary procedures or a right to appeal. The employees allegedly used the messaging platform Discord to communicate, which Rockstar Games claims violated confidentiality agreements. The company, a subsidiary of Take-Two Interactive, denies the allegations, stating that the employees were fired for serious misconduct related to the sharing of confidential information, not for their union activities. A company spokesperson said they are contesting the claims made by the employees. Lloyd Knott, 42, a former visual effects artist on GTA VI and a member of the IWGB, described a "culture of fear" at the company, saying that unionization made employees targets. Branimira Yordanova, 31, a lighting specialist who was also fired, expressed concerns about her future in the industry and the impact on her personal life. Before the hearing, about 40 people gathered outside the court with banners criticizing the company's alleged efforts to "dismantle" the union, and a few current employees were present. The tribunal is expected to last until October 16. "Grand Theft Auto VI" is scheduled for release on November 19, nearly 13 years after the previous installment, and is expected to be the largest launch in the history of entertainment. Its development has been shrouded in secrecy, though leaks have revealed previously unseen game sequences shortly before Rockstar released a long preview on Netflix and YouTube in late August. This is not the first time Rockstar has faced scrutiny over its management practices; during the development of Red Dead Redemption 2, employees reportedly worked over 50-hour weeks with unpaid overtime, and toxic workplace behaviors were documented.