Rockstar Games, the developers of Grand Theft Auto 6 and Red Dead Redemption 2, has defended taking millions of pounds in tax relief.
READ MORE: The best games to play while you wait for ‘Grand Theft Auto 6’
According to a new report by The Scotsman, Rockstar Games used the British government’s video games tax relief (VGTR) to avoid paying more than £70million in tax during the last financial year (2024 – 2025).
In the same time period, Rockstar registered profits of more than £87million, and issued dividends totalling another £85million. They also received £7million in late payment fees and claimed almost £2million in “research and development expenditure credits”.
While Rockstar’s use of the video games tax relief isn’t illegal, the Independent Workers’ Union Of Great Britain has called for a review of the programme. “When one company is taking that much of the pot, smaller studios suffer, who need it to survive,” explained spokesperson Spring McParlin.
“On top of this, this tax break is conditional on adhering to ‘British values’, which should not permit channelling taxpayer money to big businesses overseas, producing titles showcasing American landscapes and culture, whilst exploiting workers in the UK.”
‘Grand Theft Auto 6’ Liberty City tease. CREDIT: Rockstar Games
Last year, Rockstar Games dismissed over 30 members of staff for allegedly sharing private information but some of the workers affected claimed they were let go for trying to unionise (via the BBC).
“When a company benefits from tens of millions of pounds in government-backed tax relief, what many would describe as Grand Theft Tax, it is reasonable to expect that it upholds basic standards of fairness and respects workers’ rights,” said Labour MP Tracy Gilbert. “I have been contacted by constituents who believe they were dismissed for exercising their legal right to organise at work. These are serious allegations, and it is right that they are properly scrutinised, particularly when a company is receiving such substantial tax advantages.”
“Rockstar categorically denies the claim brought by its former employees,” said a statement shared with The Scotsman. “Since the introduction of VGTR in 2014, Rockstar has invested enormously in the UK, creating more than a thousand jobs in the creative sector across Scotland and England. Rockstar’s commitment to local investment has helped put the UK at the cutting edge of entertainment globally and contributed significantly to UK economic growth, skills and innovation,” they added.
Earlier this month, publishers Take-Two confirmed Grand Theft Auto 6 was still on track to launch November 19 while marketing will begin in the summer.
In other news, a new report claims that the new PlayStation 6 console might not launch until 2029 due to the rising cost of memory chips.
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