Fired Rockstar staff aren't asking gamers to skip GTA 6 in November. They're pushing merch sales to bankroll their tribunal fight against the studio they say sacked them for organizing.

The Independent Workers' Union of Great Britain launched the "Fighting Fund" T-shirt drive this week, with proceeds earmarked for legal costs ahead of the final hearing starting September 10 in Glasgow. Jack Hoxby, one of the dismissed devs, put it plainly in a union video: supporters should buy the shirts instead of boycotting so they can enjoy the game knowing they backed the people who built it. Rockstar maintains the 34 firings last year—31 in the UK, three in Canada—stemmed from leaks of GTA 6 features, timelines, and IT protocols, not union activity, and points to its long-standing zero-tolerance policy that previously hit staff in Lincoln, the US, and India.

Protests hit Rockstar North in Edinburgh and Take-Two's London office after the layoffs, while the IWGB claims it still represents a significant chunk of the workforce across multiple UK sites and has already delivered pay bumps and crunch incentives. Pre-orders are being called "unprecedented" by Take-Two leadership, and the November 19, 2026 release date remains locked in. The shirts are ethically made, worker-designed, and available now through the union's Square site.

This move keeps the union visible without torching the game's launch momentum. Receipts over symbolism every time.