Rockstar Games UK Limited, the legal entity behind Rockstar North, appeared on the UK government’s 2026 employer enforcement list for underpaying workers. The HMRC published the list on March 19, naming the company for failing to pay the National Minimum Wage to five employees.
The total underpayment came to £1,396.73, which is roughly $1,800. That works out to about $372.65 per worker. The affected staff were based at Rockstar North’s Holyrood Road office in Edinburgh. The company has been ordered to repay the full amount and pay additional penalties.
What does the HMRC list mean?
The HMRC regularly publishes lists of employers found to have underpaid workers below the legal minimum wage. The amounts in Rockstar’s case fall within the typical range of minor payroll errors that HMRC picks up during routine checks.
Rockstar was one of hundreds of employers named in this round. Across the full list, over £7 million (approximately $9 million) is being ordered back to workers.
Rockstar North and GTA 6
Rockstar North is Rockstar Games’ primary studio in the UK. The Edinburgh office is the lead development hub for the Grand Theft Auto series and is currently working on GTA 6, which has been delayed multiple times and is now scheduled to release on November 19, 2026.
Rockstar has not commented on the underpayment listing. The same studio dealt with staff dismissals in late 2025, which drew attention after the IWGB union accused the company of targeting workers who had been attempting to organize. An explosion was also reported at the Rockstar North building earlier this year, leading to a police cordon and emergency services response.
