The artists’ and creatives’ union SAG-AFTRA is currently on strike again in the video game industry. This time, Take 2 Productions Inc., which is part of the publisher of GTA 6, is also affected. Fans are now worried about the release.
What kind of strike is this? The union SAG-AFTRA is currently striking against various companies in the video game industry, especially creative companies and large publishers like Electronic Arts Productions Inc., Activision Productions Inc., and also Take 2 Productions Inc. (via sagaftra.org), who are likely also involved in some of the creative work for GTA 6.
The background is failed contract negotiations of the union with the companies, which are intended to ensure a future and fair pay for creatives, even in times of artificial intelligence.
The video game industry generates billions of dollars in profit annually. The driving force behind this success is the creative individuals who design and create these games. […]
To put it bluntly, it’s astonishing that these video game studios haven’t learned anything from the lessons of last year – that our members can and will stand up and demand fair treatment regarding AI, and the public supports us in this
Negotiator Duncan Crabtree-Ireland
You can watch the GTA 6 trailer here:
Fans are worried about GTA 6
Why are fans concerned about the release? Because the publisher of GTA 6 is also on strike, fans fear this could lead to a delay in the release of the game. In 2023, a strike by the same union already caused several films and series to be delayed by months (via Wikipedia.org)
@NikTekOfficial comments regarding the strikes on X.com: “GTA 6 will either be pushed to 2026 or released in 2025, but not fully polished” and posts a meme.
Also @LFAFSYTLE is worried, commenting on X.com: “We will never get GTA 6!”
@Marcovi3Matthew writes on X.com: “Ah, damn, no, SAG AFTRA has brought us delays in the film industry, stay away from strikes in video games. I don’t like AI either, but consider something else, I don’t want GTA6 and other games to be delayed.”
Are the concerns justified? Currently, it is uncertain whether GTA 6 is affected by the strike. According to Inverse, the strike only affects games whose development started no earlier than late 2023. This is indicated by the strike terms. However, GTA 6 has been in development for a longer time and may thus not be among the games being struck.
Moreover, games that have signed an alternative agreement with SAG-AFTRA are not being struck.
A statement from Take-Two or Rockstar Games is pending. We have reached out to the union behind the strike for more detailed information and will update the article with new information if we receive a response.
Whether the new installment of the series will convince all fans remains to be seen. A former employee who worked on GTA fears that players might initially be disappointed: Former Rockstar Employee thinks GTA 6 could “disappoint players on the first day”
