The Overwatch 2 development team at Blizzard Entertainment has successfully unionized, joining the Communications Workers of America (CWA). This unionization process has seen nearly 200 developers participate, reflecting a growing trend of organization within the gaming industry, especially under Microsoft ownership. Factors fueling this movement include employee dissatisfaction, particularly regarding layoffs experienced earlier in 2024. The Overwatch Gamemakers Guild now seeks to navigate the contract bargaining process, a step that has faced delays in similar unions like Bethesda and Raven Software. The unionization marks a pivotal shift in labor relations within the gaming sector, emphasizing workers' rights.
"Game developers behind Activision Blizzard's hit franchise Overwatch have joined the Communications Workers of America (CWA), becoming the latest group of video game workers..."
"A neutral arbitrator confirmed today that an overwhelming majority of workers have either signed a union authorization card or indicated that they wanted union representation..."
"The biggest issue was the layoffs at the beginning of 2024," Simon Hedrick, a test analyst at Blizzard, told Kotaku.
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