All gaming industry unions, explained

The gaming industry is changing. After years of groundwork over the past decade, laid across social media and in the halls of gatherings like the Game Developers Conference, workers are organizing into unions in their fight against a history of overwork, low pay and harassment. Unions are on the rise in the games industry as workers seek meaningful, lasting change.

The industry change follows a nationwide trend in workers’ organization: in recent years there have been an uptick in union elections and complaints about unfair working conditions how workers vow to make changes to their workplaces. This is also reflected in the headlines – alongside union efforts at Activision Blizzard and Microsoft, campaigns are underway at big companies like Apple, Google and Starbucks.

These are the gambling establishments where the workers unionize. We will update this list as more unions emerge in the industry.

Activision Blizzard

Photo: David McNew/AFP via Getty Images

Activision Blizzard made headlines in 2021 after the California Department of Civil Rights (formerly the Department of Fair Employment and Housing) filed a lawsuit against it World of Warcraft and Call of Duty editors for allegedly rampant sexism and harassment. (Activision Blizzard itself sued the CRD on the lawsuit in 2022.) This sparked a spate of allegations and lawsuits, including an $18 million settled lawsuit with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission. Workers have also acted: more than 1,000 workers resigned in July 2021, and organizing efforts have continued since. Its three unions – two officially recognized by National Labor Relations Board elections – are made up entirely of quality assurance workers. Quality Assurance staff often feel they are being overlooked, exposed to low pay, unstable contracts and brutal overwork.

Activision Blizzard has repeatedly come out to stall union efforts and maintains that all workers at each studio should vote in union elections, not just QA staff. Several complaints have been filed against the company alleging unfair working conditions, alleging anti-union sentiment and anti-unionism.

With union efforts underway at the company, Activision Blizzard converted all of its contract workers into full-time employees – a win credited to workers for their organizing efforts.

Activision Blizzard expects to be acquired by Microsoft in a $68.7 billion deal. The United States Federal Trade Commission is suing Microsoft to contest the deal. After announcing the deal, Microsoft signed a neutrality agreement with the Communications Workers of America, pledging not to interfere in the company’s union efforts. Some see Microsoft’s deal as an attempt to ease the FTC’s takeover, but regardless, Microsoft employees and potentially Activision Blizzard will benefit if the deal goes through.

Blizzard Albany

Blizzard Albany, formerly known as Vicarious Visions, is working on Blizzard Entertainment’s Diablo franchise, including upcoming ones diablo 4. It was the second studio within Activision Blizzard to successfully unionize; QA workers there won their vote 14-0 in December 2022 after a series of alleged anti-union efforts, according to the CWA.

As a next step, the group wants to start contract negotiations with Activision Blizzard.

Raven software

Raven Software is the first studio within Activision Blizzard to unionize, an initiative that started in December 2021 Call of Duty: Warzone QA staff left work to protest what they felt was unfair dismissal of contract workers. QA employees announced their union push in January 2022, and faced opposition from Activision Blizzard as management attempted to restructure the company and declare the QA union non-voting. A judge ruled in favor of the QA union after hearings, and Raven Software workers, dubbed the Game Workers Alliance, won their union vote in May 2022 and are represented by the CWA.

proletariat

Boston-based Studio Proletariat announced the filing of its union petition in late December 2022 spellbreak Developer acquired by Activision Blizzard in June 2022; spellbreak has been shut down and the team is now working on World of Warcraft. An election has not yet been scheduled by the NLRB. Like the other unionized studios at Activision Blizzard, Proletariat is represented by the CWA.

The proposed unity of the proletariat includes all non-management positions – currently about 60 workers.

Anemone Hug

Image: Blackbird Interactive/Focus Home Interactive

The Union’s foothold in the gaming industry is not limited to the United States. Studios in Canada are also making strides in organizing their workspaces. Developer Anemone Hug Interactive providing support Hardspace: Shipbreaker and is currently working on an original game voted for unionizing in 2022. Anemone Hug’s union is part of the Canadian Animation Guild, the International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees Local 938. IATSE mainly serves entertainment workers internationally, while the British-Colombian animation unit focuses on local animation workers – and now game developers.

Cards against humanity

Photo Credit: Charlie Hall/Polygon

Workers at Cards Against Humanity, which makes the deck of cards of the same name, unionized with the Chicago and Midwest Regional Joint Board of Workers United in 2020 after a report was released about alleged racist and sexist culture at the company; Cards Against Humanity management recognized the entity, and the group successfully completed contract negotiations to secure better benefits, including a succession clause that could be waived if the owners sell the company.

Cards Against Humanity workers were probably the first in their industry to unionize.

keyword studios

Image: BioWare Edmonton/Electronic Arts

Delegated QA staff supporting BioWare Dragon Age: Dread Wolf at the Keywords Studios Edmonton site voted to unionize in June 2022. Like Anemone Hug, Keywords Studios is a Canadian studio; Their election was through the Alberta Labor Relations Board, where the group is organized under the United Food and Commercial Workers Canada Union, Local 401.

KWS Edmonton United, the union, began organizing after management issued a return-to-office order that workers disagreed with — commuting is too expensive given their low salaries and the studio doesn’t offer paid time off when they are ill, they said.

Microsoft

Image: Bethesda Game Studios/Bethesda Softworks

Microsoft’s labor neutrality agreement with the CWA went into effect in June 2022, when it vowed not to interfere with unionization at the company — including at Activision Blizzard — if the takeover went through. According to labor experts, this is not a common approach and may have been influenced by the takeover itself, which is under FTC scrutiny. Regardless, the deal benefits workers who want to organize at the CWA.

We saw it first hand in action when QA staff at several ZeniMax studios announced their desire to unionize.

ZenMax

Approximately 300 QA employees at ZeniMax Media have unionized under the CWA. The group, dubbed ZeniMax Workers United, has dodged an NLRB election due to Microsoft’s neutrality agreement. Instead, workers voted through union proxy cards or an online portal to show interest in the company. A large majority of those 300 workers voted yes, and Microsoft recognized the union.

It was a much quicker process than the traditional route, as evidenced by the efforts at Activision Blizzard. ZeniMax Workers United includes employees from Bethesda Game Studios, id Software and ZeniMax Online in the Maryland and Texas offices.

As a next step, ZeniMax will appoint a negotiation committee and enter into contract negotiations.

Paizo

Image: Paizo

United Paizo Workers was formed in 2021, making it one of the earlier unions in the industry. Paizo is one of the largest publishers of tabletop roleplaying games. It is responsible for both Pathfinder and Starfinder. Workers at the studio accused the Washington state-based company of unequal pay, harassment and “improper leadership.” Paizo voluntarily recognized the union and collective bargaining began shortly thereafter.

UPW reached a preliminary agreement In early December 2022 with Paizo management on specific issues including benefits, remote work, time off and hours. Negotiations will continue until both sides agree to all terms.

Delicate claws

Image: Delicate claws

Los Angeles-based indie studio Tender Claws announced its union petition in July 2022 — with the entire proposed entity supporting the effort. The group is called the Tender Claws Human Union, a nod to their game virtual Virtual Reality, which includes an in-game union for people working for the AI. Tender Claws management recognized the union with representatives from the CWA; Contract negotiations began in November and are still ongoing.

Vodeo Games (now defunct)

Image: Vodeo Games

Vodeo Games’ debut – and only – title is beastbreakera turn based game mixed with a bit Peggel. The video game studio is now defunct and closed in 2022 due to lack of funds. But the impact its workers had on the video game industry is still important: Vodeo Workers United, represented by the CWA, was the first video game industry union in North America.