Today an editorial and creative staff member at the popular video game and entertainment site IGN announced that they are merging with the NewsGuild-CWA.
Founded in 1996 as “Imagine Games Network”. IGN were originally five different websites covering various consoles and online games. Eventually the sites were brought together under a consolidated brand and covered more than just games, including comics, movies and television shows. In 2013, IGN was purchased by Media company Ziff Davis. Since then, the site has become the largest video game outlet in the world and one of the most popular entertainment sites on the Internet, with over 470 million monthly visitors in December 2023 alone. And the employees responsible for this success are now forming a union.
On February 6th the IGN The staff officially announced the IGN Creators Guild, a new union made up of just over 80 writers, editors and content creators. IGNCG expects Ziff Davis to voluntarily recognize the guild as over 87% of eligible members have signed union cards. The IGN The Creators Guild will be separate from the existing Ziff Davis Creators Guild, which is also part of the News Guild-CWA.
In an IGNCG mission statement, members outlined various reasons for forming a union.
“Of our many goals, we want to see first and foremost IGN grow and thrive as digital media becomes more turbulent,” the guild explained. “We have been an institution for over 25 years and are the founders of IGN I want it to continue for another 25 years and beyond. But we need support for this. We need fair and competitive pay for everyone, including those who have to live and work in some of the most expensive cities in the United States; affordable health insurance; and better diversity, equity and inclusion across the board.”
The union also wants protection against layoffs in what it calls a “hectic media landscape” and guarantees of “adequate compensation” if cuts are unavoidable. The group also wants protection against generative AI and other similar technologies, which has become a major issue in digital media for many media outlets over the past 12 months.
The IGN Creators Guild also called for better, clearer career development paths and more support for overworked employees who need more time to rest after working long hours for major events like Comic-Con.
How readers can help the new union
As for how readers and fans can support the IGN Creators Guild, the union suggests that people follow the group on social media (@IGNUnion). It also shared one Online petition
“I love my job,” said Amelia Emberwing, streaming editor at the site. “But working with corporate-backed initiatives has only shown how far we have to go when it comes to giving women and people of color a seat at the table. IGN We have always been about community, and our employees are at the heart of that. I hope Ziff Davis and IGN Management is now listening to this community.”
In the past, IGN introduced himself Criticism on the Internet through its panels and sponsored events, which sometimes feature predominantly white men on screen. After its creation, it was also criticized sponsored content with the US military And Oil companies. In its mission statement, IGNCG says it wants to address the ethical editorial concerns of these deals.
“I am immensely proud of this team and want the best for all of us,” said Max Scoville, executive producer, host and nine-year veteran of the company. “IGN is already an industry leader in entertainment media, but it is critical that we ensure it continues to be a bastion for the people who give it a voice.”
.
