WoW Workers Unite: Is This Blizzard’s Turning Point for Labor Rights?

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The World of Warcraft GameMakers Guild: A New Era of Unionization in the Gaming Industry

The video game industry is experiencing a seismic shift as unionization efforts surge, challenging traditional power dynamics and pushing for greater worker rights and protections. A recent landmark victory has seen over 500 developers at Blizzard Entertainment, responsible for the iconic World of Warcraft, voting to form a union. This newly formed World of Warcraft GameMakers Guild, established with the support of the Communication Workers of America (CWA), encompasses employees from across all departments, including designers, engineers, artists, producers, and more.

This move marks a significant advancement in gaming unionization, establishing the largest wall-to-wall union, one that includes multiple departments and disciplines, within Microsoft. This development comes just a week after the formation of the Bethesda Game Studios union, which, at the time of its announcement, was the largest wall-to-wall union at Microsoft.

These events underscore a profound change in the strategy of video game unionization. They signal a shift towards uniting workers from diverse backgrounds and skillsets to achieve collective bargaining power, potentially impacting working conditions and labor rights across the entire industry.

"You can tell just by talking to people how much they care about one another and the work they do in the game," says Kathryn Friesen, a quest designer on the World of Warcraft team. "I think that’s where [the unionization effort] comes from, the desire to stand together to fight for collective bargaining rights at the table."

The impetus for the union’s formation, according to Friesen, stemmed from a desire to uphold one of Blizzard’s core values: "every voice matters." This value, however, came into conflict with the company’s response to a discrimination lawsuit filed by the state of California in 2021, alleging rampant sexual harassment and gender discrimination within Activision Blizzard, Blizzard’s parent company.

"A lot of the early responses felt very corporate and didn’t feel like they reflected the values that, as a company, we said we upheld," remarks Paul Cox, a senior quest designer and veteran Blizzard employee. These responses, which many felt did not adequately address the allegations, led to worker outrage and ultimately served as a catalyst for the unionization efforts.

The California lawsuit sparked a wave of employee activism, culminating in walkouts at Blizzard in protest of the company’s handling of the situation. These walkouts became a turning point, galvanizing workers to begin organizing for a more secure and equitable future.

The World of Warcraft GameMakers Guild, with over 500 members across Blizzard’s offices in California and Massachusetts, stands as a testament to this collective action. Despite its size, being the second largest union at Microsoft behind Activision’s 600-member QA union, the union’s formation was greatly facilitated by Microsoft’s labor neutrality agreement. This agreement guaranteed that employees organizing for a union would face no reprisals from the company.

"We were able to come out into the open about it, and everybody was able to see that no retaliation was occurring," Cox states. This open and transparent approach, coupled with the CWA’s visible presence on Blizzard campuses, allowed for widespread engagement across departments and solidified the union’s momentum.

Interdisciplinary unionization, as seen in the Blizzard case, represents a departure from the typical approach in the video game industry. Traditionally, union efforts have focused on QA workers, who often face lower pay and fewer protections compared to other departments.

The first union at Activision Blizzard was comprised of QA workers, as was the first union at Microsoft’s game studios. While these unions have achieved notable victories, the Blizzard union represents a new frontier. It demonstrates the power of uniting workers across disciplines, highlighting the shared struggles and aspirations that unite them.

Moreover, it signals a vital message to the industry: "I am especially excited for that signal to go out to the rest of the industry," Friesen says, referring to the union’s inclusivity. "[QA employees] work with us every single day. Their desks are next to our desks. So, I hope that we can win better workplace protections for everyone on the team."

The formation of the World of Warcraft GameMakers Guild not only signifies a major victory for its members but also has significant implications for the future of the gaming industry.

This landmark union highlights:

  • The growing power of organized labor in the video game industry.
  • The importance of inclusiveness and solidarity in achieving meaningful change.
  • The need for better workplace protections and fairer working conditions across all departments.

While this union represents a significant step forward, the fight for fair labor practices is far from over. The Blizzard Quality Assurance United-CWA, a separate 60-person union also formed at Blizzard’s Austin office, reinforces the demand for improved working conditions for all game developers.

As other major game studios continue to see unionization efforts emerge, the impact of the World of Warcraft GameMakers Guild will be felt industry-wide. This success story, alongside the growing number of unions across game development, marks a turning point in the fight for workers’ rights and sets a new standard for the future of game development.

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David Green
David Green
David Green is a cultural analyst and technology writer who explores the fusion of tech, science, art, and culture. With a background in anthropology and digital media, David brings a unique perspective to his writing, examining how technology shapes and is shaped by human creativity and society.