The unionisation wave hitting UK gaming: how employers should respond

Rising union awareness: why your studio should pay attention

Union activity is rising across the UK gaming industry, and studios that haven’t yet considered their position risk being caught unprepared. Concerns about long hours, unpaid overtime, job insecurity, pay transparency and workplace culture are fuelling demand for collective representation. For gaming employers, the question is no longer whether unionisation will reach your workforce, but when, and how prepared you are.

The Independent Workers’ Union of Great Britain (IWGB) Game Workers Union, formed in 2018, now claims to have more than 1,500 members. It covers a broad cross-section of the industry, including direct employees, contractors, freelancers, agency and casual workers, and students across games and interactive media. Having secured recognition for collective bargaining at Disco Elysium studio ZA/UM in October 2025, the union has a proven template for campaigning across studios of all sizes. Other employers should expect similar approaches.

Union recognition means that bargaining on pay and core employment terms must take place between the employer and the recognised union, rather than individual employees.

Why the risk is increasing

The union cites survey data indicating that 74% of game workers are not paid overtime, 90% may be expected to work additional hours and 53% believe they could secure better pay and conditions elsewhere. It also highlights workplace culture concerns. According to the survey, 45% of women report experiencing, or expecting to experience, gender-related barriers to progression, while 45% report bullying or harassment connected with the industry.

These figures provide unions with powerful organising narratives. Employers that fail to address these concerns proactively may leave themselves exposed to recognition campaigns.

Rockstar Games: a cautionary example

The situation at Rockstar Games is the most prominent illustration of how quickly union recognition disputes can escalate and the commercial and reputational risks involved. IWGB Game Workers is pursuing formal recognition ahead of GTA VI’s scheduled release in November 2026, against a backdrop of unprecedented pre-order revenue. The commercial pressure is acute. A recognition dispute running alongside a major title launch creates significant operational and reputational exposure.

IWGB Game Workers states that, in October 2025, Rockstar summarily dismissed 31 of its members. Rockstar’s position is that the dismissals related to alleged breaches of confidentiality obligations and were unconnected to union activity. IWGB is challenging the dismissals in the Employment Tribunal, with a final hearing reportedly listed for September 2026.

If the Tribunal finds that the dismissals were connected to union membership or activities, the consequences, including potential findings of automatic unfair dismissal, could be severe. Gaming employers should treat this as a cautionary example. Robust processes, clear documentation and demonstrably non-discriminatory decision-making are essential when managing staff who are union members.

Employment Rights Act 2025: a shifting legal landscape

The Employment Rights Act 2025 significantly strengthens unions’ position. From October 2026, independent trade unions will have a statutory right to access workplaces, both physically and digitally, for the purposes of recruiting, organising, representing and supporting workers, and facilitating collective bargaining.

Where an employer and union cannot agree the terms of access, the Central Arbitration Committee (CAC), which also decides union recognition applications, has the power to impose binding arrangements.

The Act also simplifies statutory recognition. The previous requirement that the CAC must be satisfied that a union is likely to secure a majority in a ballot has been removed, as has the 40% minimum support threshold. The admissibility test is replaced by a required membership percentage of between 2% and 10%.

These changes substantially lower the bar for unions seeking recognition. Gaming employers should anticipate that the CAC route will become more accessible to unions organising within the sector.

What this means for gaming employers

Studios should consider taking the following steps now:

• Review and update employment policies on working hours, overtime, pay transparency and workplace culture, addressing the concerns that drive unionisation before they become organising tools
• Develop a clear union engagement protocol so senior leadership and HR teams know how to respond lawfully and constructively to a recognition request or access demand
• Prepare for statutory access rights by assessing how digital communication channels such as Slack, Teams and internal forums could be used for union access, and consider what reasonable steps to facilitate access means in your workplace
• Audit recent disciplinary and dismissal decisions, ensuring documentation clearly supports the stated rationale and is free from any suggestion of anti-union motivation
• Engage proactively with staff. Transparent communication about pay, conditions and career progression can reduce the grievances that make union campaigns resonate. Employees in the private sector tend not to join trade unions unless they have a current complaint. Employers should seek to identify and resolve issues before they are referred to a union.

Unionisation is no longer a remote prospect for the gaming industry. The legal reforms taking effect in 2026 give unions materially stronger tools to organise and secure recognition.

Studios that engage early, address legitimate concerns and maintain fair, well-documented employment practices will be best placed to manage the changing landscape.