A significant step has been taken by developers at Blizzard Entertainment as over 450 members of the Diablo team voted to form a union under the banner of the Communications Workers of America (CWA). This union includes game developers, artists, designers, engineers, and support staff, marking an important milestone in labor organization within the tech giant Microsoft, which has formally recognized the union.
The decision to unionize comes in the wake of repeated mass layoffs by Microsoft, which cut around 9,100 employees earlier in the year across its gaming divisions, including Activision Blizzard. These layoffs have fueled fear and insecurity among workers, prompting many to seek collective bargaining power to improve job security and working conditions.
Kelly Yeo, a game producer and organizing committee member, commented on the emotional toll of these layoffs, stating, "With every subsequent round of mass layoffs, I've witnessed the dread in my coworkers grow stronger because it feels like no amount of hard work is enough to protect us. I am overjoyed that we have formed a union—this is just the first step for us joining a movement spreading across an industry that is tired of living in fear. We are ready to begin fighting for real change alongside our Diablo colleagues."
The union represents workers across multiple geographical locations, including CWA locals in Irvine, California, Albany, New York, and Austin, Texas. It follows similar unionization efforts at Blizzard, such as the World of Warcraft and Overwatch teams, and extends a broader trend seen at other Microsoft subsidiaries like Raven Software, Zenimax, and Bethesda.
In recent years, the gaming industry has witnessed a surge in unionization movements, largely driven by concerns over job stability, workplace conditions, the impact of artificial intelligence, crediting practices, and remote work arrangements. Since Microsoft’s acquisition of Activision Blizzard for $68.7 billion in 2023, over 3,500 workers within Microsoft have organized with CWA, reflecting a growing labor consciousness in the sector.
Developers have expressed that the union provides a necessary platform to address long-standing challenges such as the "passion tax," where workers feel compelled to accept poor conditions out of dedication to their craft, and the stress induced by arbitrary layoffs. Union leaders aim to negotiate contracts that will focus on fair compensation, job security, and improved workplace policies.
The formation of the Diablo union signals a continuing shift within a historically volatile industry, where the culture of crunch and uncertain employment has driven many to seek collective protection. Analysts suggest this may encourage further unionization within Blizzard and the greater gaming industry in the coming months.
The labor movement across video games is part of a larger wave of unionization in entertainment sectors, with workers from film, television, and music industries also organizing for better representation and working conditions.
As the Diablo team embarks on this new collective bargaining journey, it represents a critical step toward fostering more sustainable and secure careers for game developers and creatives worldwide.
