Blizzard Employees Unite: Hearthstone and Warcraft Teams Form Union
Employees from Blizzard Entertainment’s Hearthstone and Warcraft Rumble teams have voted decisively to unionise with the Communications Workers of America (CWA). Over 100 staff members, including software engineers, designers, artists, quality assurance testers, and producers, participated in the vote. The new union will be affiliated with CWA Local 9510, based in Irvine, California.
Microsoft, which owns Blizzard, has acknowledged the formation of the union. This move marks a significant step in the ongoing trend of unionisation within the gaming industry, particularly among employees seeking better working conditions and job security.
Uriah Voth, a senior 2D artist and member of the organising committee, expressed the need for collective action: “Whether we are fighting for layoff protections, security for our remote workers, or reduced wage gaps, the pressures we face are making it harder to create the high-quality work we care about.” Voth emphasized that unionising offers employees a chance to empower themselves and address the instability and unfair conditions they encounter.
The inspiration for this unionisation effort stems from a successful campaign by over 500 developers of World of Warcraft last July. The CWA’s Local 9510 president, Jason Justice, remarked on the significance of the Hearthstone team’s actions, stating, “These are some of the most talented developers and artists in the industry, and their decision to form a union sends a clear message that building great games starts with respecting those who are behind them.”
As of now, more than 1,900 Blizzard workers have joined the CWA, representing various divisions, including Platform and Technology, Story and Franchise Development, as well as developers from Diablo and Overwatch. Recently, the Platform and Technology division announced its unionisation decision on October 15, 2023.
The push for union representation is not unique to Blizzard. Across the gaming sector, nearly 3,000 employees at Microsoft-owned studios have joined the CWA. This includes staff at Raven Software, which has filed complaints against Activision and Microsoft, alleging a refusal to engage in bargaining.
As the unionisation movement grows within the gaming industry, employees are increasingly prioritising their rights and work conditions, creating a transformative shift in how game developers and artists engage with their employers. The successful unionisation of the Hearthstone and Warcraft teams highlights a broader trend of collective action aimed at improving workplace standards in an industry known for its demanding culture.
