Union Formation at Blizzard Entertainment
Blizzard Entertainment's Workforce Forms Union for Improved and Secure Workplace Conditions
The Story and Franchise Development (SFD) team at Blizzard Entertainment has made history by becoming the first in-house cinematic, animation, and narrative studio in the United States to form a union. The team, which works on stories, trailers, and legendary cinematics for games like Diablo 4, recently joined the Communications Workers of America (CWA) Local 9510, following in the footsteps of other Microsoft-owned studios that have unionized[1][2][5].
Microsoft, which has a labor neutrality policy in place, has recognized the union. This policy, agreed upon in 2022, has led to the unionization of several Microsoft-owned studios, including large unions at World of Warcraft teams and other QA workers at Blizzard[1]. The SFD team aims to protect its colleagues from misguided policies and instability due to layoffs by organizing[1][2][5].
John Giarratana, a cinematic producer and member of the organizing committee, expressed excitement about the union, stating it protects colleagues from misguided policies and instability due to layoffs. Various Microsoft employees have emphasized the continued need for unionization, especially in the wake of recent layoffs across the Xbox division[3].
Layoffs and Wider Industry Trends
Despite the unionization efforts, Microsoft has recently conducted layoffs across its Xbox division, affecting teams like King and ZeniMax Media, and canceling projects such as a new MMORPG from ZeniMax Online Studios[3]. The unionization trend is part of a broader effort to organize the video game industry, with over 6,000 workers in the U.S. and Canada having joined the Campaign to Organize Digital Employees (CODE-CWA) since its inception. Notable successes include historic contracts secured by ZeniMax QA developers and Raven Software workers[1][4].
While unionization cannot prevent layoffs entirely, it can empower workers to negotiate better terms and conditions, reducing the impact of layoffs on employees. This trend is seen as a defensive measure against corporate actions that could negatively affect workers[3][4].
As a result, almost 3,000 workers are now unionized across Microsoft's gaming division as a whole. The Story and Franchise Development team at Blizzard Entertainment is not the only team to have unionized under Microsoft. The Overwatch 2 development team and the World of Warcraft team have also unionized[1]. Quality assurance testers at ZeniMax Media were the first to organize under Microsoft all the way back in 2023, followed by Raven Software quality assurance testers who recently agreed to a contract with Microsoft[1]. Outside of Blizzard, wall-to-wall unions have organized at Bethesda Game Studios and ZeniMax Online Studios[1].
While the SFD team's unionization may lead to additional unions both at Microsoft and elsewhere, multiple projects, including a new MMORPG from ZeniMax Online Studios, were canceled due to the layoffs[3]. The SFD team at Blizzard Entertainment also functions as a team of historians, archiving things as needed[2].
In conclusion, the unionization trend in the video game industry continues to gain momentum, with the Story and Franchise Development team at Blizzard Entertainment leading the way. Despite the recent layoffs, workers are continuing to push and further organize within the Xbox division, aiming to preserve what makes Blizzard special, ensure transparency in decision-making, and apply policies fairly.
- The Story and Franchise Development team at Blizzard Entertainment, responsible for legendary cinematics in games like Diablo 4, has joined the Communications Workers of America (CWA) Local 9510, following the lead of other Microsoft-owned studios that have unionized.
- Microsoft, having a labor neutrality policy in place, has recognized the union formed by the SFD team, aiming to protect colleagues from misguided policies and instability due to layoffs.
- The unionization trend in the video game industry is a defensive measure against corporate actions that could negatively affect workers, empowering them to negotiate better terms and conditions, reducing the impact of layoffs on employees.
- Outside of Blizzard, wall-to-wall unions have organized at Bethesda Game Studios and ZeniMax Online Studios, with quality assurance testers at ZeniMax Media being the first to organize under Microsoft in 2023.
- Despite the recent layoffs across Microsoft's gaming division, affecting teams like King and ZeniMax Media, and canceling projects such as a new MMORPG from ZeniMax Online Studios, the unionization trend in the video game industry continues to gain momentum, with more teams planning to organize within the Xbox division.
