GTA 6 Launch Delay Possible As Devs Prepare To Strike Amid Final Crunch

Grand Theft Auto VI is now available for pre-order, but that doesn’t mean that fans are out of the woods when it comes to potential delays.

If all goes to plan, GTA VI is still on track to launch on PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X/S on November 19.

It’s the period of development known as crunch, though, with developers putting in ungodly hours to perfect, fine-tune, and tweak the game.

Understandably, it’s not a popular practice within the industry as developers are as entitled to a work-life balance as anybody else.

It’s partly why developers at Rockstar Games are looking to go on strike with plans now in motion to unionise ahead of the game’s release.

Rockstar Games

PLAYSTATION PRE-ORDER: Playstation UK | Walmart | Amazon UK | Amazon US

XBOX PRE-ORDER: GAME UK | Loaded | Amazon UK | Amazon US | Walmart

Last year, several dozen developers were fired from Rockstar. While those affected claimed they were fired for attempting to unionise, Rockstar said the 31 employees were guilty of “gross misconduct”.

Those efforts to unionise have not faltered. As reported by IGN, if Rockstar Games doesn’t voluntarily recognise the new union, the IWGB Game Workers Union, developers are threatening to go on strike.

If they’re on strike during this very important crunch period, GTA VI could be delayed or could launch with bugs and glitches, ruining the rollout of this industry behemoth.

The goal of unionising is to give developers protections and bargaining assistance on issues that include crunch (overtime), pay transparency, and flexible working, with IWGB set to represent a “significant portion” of Rockstar.

Don’t miss our guide to pre-ordering GTA VI:

• GTA 6 Pre-Orders: Editions, Price, And Where To Buy On PS5 And Xbox

This applies to those working at Rockstar premises in Edinburgh, Dundee, Lincoln, Leeds, and London; it doesn’t apply to those in the company’s international bases.

As per IGN’s report, currently Disco Elysium developer ZA/UM is surprisingly the only UK studio that has a formally recognised union.

Several Rockstar Games Developers Have Publicly Spoken Out

Senior QA tester at Rockstar Lincoln, Josh Walter, told IGN, “Rockstar leads the industry in the games we create. We believe it can also lead the industry in how it treats the people who make them.”

He continued, “There is so much that is special about the studio and the work we put out. We want to protect that. When people are confronted with pay disparities, excessive overtime or a lack of flexibility in arrangements, they are not in the best position to do their best work.

“We want to sit down with management and build a future where both the games and the conditions of the people who make them are as strong as possible.”

READ MORE: Rockstar Says GTA 6 'Plays Best on PS5' While Xbox Gets Saddled with Worse Experience

Rockstar North production co-ordinator Shanti Easton-Steel added, “Whilst it’s painful that our dismissed colleagues are not here to share this milestone moment, the best way we can honour their contribution now is by succeeding in the fight they helped us to start, and making them proud to have been a part of it.”

Rockstar Games Has Issued A Statement Ahead Of Threatened Strike Action

A Rockstar Games spokesperson responded to IGN with the following statement: “We strive to make the best games possible by giving our talented teams world-class work environments and ongoing career opportunities. We have fostered a culture which is focused on teamwork, excellence, and kindness, and where we support and reward the team across all levels of the business through competitive compensation and benefits policies.”

It continued, “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 an open and constructive dialogue with all stakeholders and will arrange to meet.”

As desperate as gamers are to get their hands on GTA VI, it’s fair to say that the welfare of those who make the game is more important.

READ MORE: GTA 6 Pre-Orders Boycotted By Major Retailers Amid Disc Controversy

Here’s to hoping that developers get what they’re asking for swiftly and GTA VI is all the better for it.