Yesterday, the Communications Workers of America (CWA) issued a press release announcing that more than 450 developers from Blizzard’s Diablo team formed a union, joining the more than 3,000 other Microsoft staff members who have sought better working conditions through unionization.
The decision follows multiple rounds of mass layoffs, the last of which took place in July and resulted in the cancellation of several highly anticipated games, including Perfect Dark and Rare’s Everwild.
Kelly Yeo, Team 3 Game Producer on Diablo and organizing committee member, said “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.”
The sentiment is a common one among those in the video game industry. The last several years have cost an estimated 39,000 jobs, even as companies report record sales numbers. Microsoft isn’t alone in this; other companies like Electronic Arts, Sony, and Ubisoft have all announced extensive layoffs, and numerous smaller studios have been permanently closed.
“I grew up playing Diablo, and I feel lucky that I get to work at Blizzard on a game that’s very special to me and the gaming community,” said Skye Hoefling, Team 3 Senior Software Engineer II on Diablo. “But passion can’t protect us from job instability. Our union allows us to focus on making magical experiences for our players instead of worrying about the unstable job industry.”
This union aims to provide members with more job security and opportunities in case more layoffs do occur, as well as better working conditions. Members say they’re tired of living in fear for their jobs, and one story from Ryan Littleton, another Diablo designer, illustrates just how prevalent that fear is. “The day after the third round of mass layoffs, I walked into the office, and when I tried to open the door to the cafeteria, my badge was denied. For a moment, I wondered if getting breakfast was how I’d find out I was part of that round,” he said.
Thousands of people have joined unions, with many coming together to form a dedicated United Videogame Workers union.
