Bethesda and Blizzard devs are now part of the CWA.
Over 750 developers at Microsoft have voted to unionise following a series of layoffs at the publisher.
First, 241 staff from a total of approximately 450 at Bethesda Game Studios voted to unionise on 19 July. The developers — who work on titles including The Elder Scrolls, Fallout, and Starfield — will be represented by the Communications Workers of America (CWA).
“We, a majority of developers at Bethesda Game Studios Dallas, Rockville, and Austin, are ecstatic to announce the formation of our union with [CWA],” read a statement posted to Twitter. “Together as #OneBGSUSA, we advocate for the betterment of every developer at BGS, setting the new standard for our industry.
“As a democratic organization, we seek to empower the collective wishes of our studios’ workers; having a safe, sustainable, and equitable work environment for all. Having a proper seat at the discussion table allows us to turn those wishes into reality.”
“We are so excited to announce our union at Bethesda Game Studio and join the movement sweeping across the video game industry,” added Mandi Parker, Senior System Designer at Bethesda, in another statement. “It is clear that every worker can benefit from bringing democracy into the workplace and securing a protected voice on the job.”
Next, more than 500 developers at World of Warcraft‘s Blizzard Entertainment also voted to unionise, and will join the CWA Local 9510.
“The decision by workers on World of Warcraft to form a union marks a key inflection point in the broader movement for game worker organizing industry-wide. What seemed impossible six years ago is now a reality,” said Tom Smith, CWA’s senior director of organizing, in a statement.
Microsoft stuck to its pledge to take a neutral stance to employees who seek to unionise.
“We continue to support our employees’ right to choose how they are represented in the workplace,” a Microsoft spokesperson said in a statement to the LA Times. “We will engage in good faith negotiations with the CWA as we work towards a collective bargaining agreement.”
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