Psychonauts Maker Double Fine Just Became The 14th Gaming Team To Unionize At Microsoft

"Developers at the long-running game studio Double Fine, which was acquired by Microsoft back in 2018, are forming a union. The group, which is best known for Psychonauts and just recently released the pottery battle game Kiln on Game Pass, filed a petition with the National Labor Relations Board on May 7 on behalf of 42 regular and part-time workers. As first reported by Aftermath, they're seeking an election alongside a request for voluntary recognition from Microsoft."

"On May 7, the workers at Microsoft studio Double Fine Productions announced their decision to form a union with CWA to preserve and extend the studio's commitments to creative excellence, diversity and inclusion, and worker quality of life, the Communications Workers of America, which is representing Double Fine employees, said in a statement. In tandem with requesting voluntary recognition from the company, workers have also filed an election petition with the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) to secure union representation."

"We appreciate that Microsoft has taken a neutral approach and agreed not to interfere in any way with worker's rights to organize unions. The union push within the U.S. games industry first picked up steam at Activision Blizzard following a workplace reckoning that began in 2021. Microsoft's acquisition of the publisher years later accelerated labor organizing thanks in large part to a neutrality agreement it made with CWA to help grease the wheels of the sale."

"Unions have since sprouted up across the Overwatch and Diablo teams at Blizzard, as well as ZeniMax Online and Bethesda Game Studios. Doom maker id Software also recently unionized. Double Fine, founded by Tim Schafer after his departure from LucasArts back in 2000, expands the union movement within Microsoft's gaming division to its standalone game studios."

Workers at Double Fine Productions, a Microsoft-owned studio, filed a petition with the National Labor Relations Board on May 7 for union representation for 42 regular and part-time employees. The workers also requested voluntary recognition from Microsoft alongside the election petition. The Communications Workers of America represents the employees and stated the union effort aims to preserve and extend commitments to creative excellence, diversity and inclusion, and worker quality of life. Microsoft agreed to a neutral approach and not to interfere with organizing rights. Union activity in the U.S. games industry gained momentum after workplace issues at Activision Blizzard and expanded through neutrality agreements tied to Microsoft’s acquisition process. Additional studios at Blizzard and Bethesda, plus id Software, have also unionized.

Read at kotaku.com