Rockstar Games Fined by UK Government for Underpaying Five Employees

Rockstar Games UK Limited, the legal entity behind Rockstar North, appeared as entry 235 on HMRC's March 19 enforcement list for failing to pay the National Minimum Wage to five workers at its Holyrood Road office in Edinburgh, with the exact figure recorded as £1,396.73 (approximately $1,800).

The amount breaks down to roughly $372.65 per worker, which falls within what HMRC typically identifies during its routine enforcement rounds. Rockstar has not commented on the underpayments.

The Edinburgh listing sits inside a much larger government crackdown. The 2026 enforcement round named 389 employers across the UK, ordered them to repay over £7.3 million in wages owed, and handed out £12.6 million in penalties combined. Around 60,000 workers were found to have been underpaid in total, making Rockstar's five affected staff members a small slice of a nationwide problem that includes retailers, logistics firms, and hospitality businesses alongside one of the most recognisable names in gaming.

Rockstar North is the studio behind the entire Grand Theft Auto series and is currently leading development on Grand Theft Auto VI, which is reported to be scheduled for release in November 2026. The Edinburgh studio has had a turbulent stretch: staff dismissals were reported there in late 2025, and an explosion at the Rockstar North building earlier this year prompted a police cordon and an emergency services response.

The HMRC list entry for Rockstar sits between Dent Logistics Limited of Penrith (£1,400.63 owed to one worker) and Padgetts (Batley) Limited of Batley (£1,389.63 owed to one worker), a reminder that the naming-and-shaming mechanism treats a global game developer and a regional logistics company by exactly the same standard. Whether any additional penalty was assessed specifically against Rockstar Games UK Limited beyond the repayment order has not been confirmed.