Over 450 developers working on Blizzard Entertainment’s Diablo franchise have officially voted to unionize, forming one of the largest labor unions at a Microsoft-owned gaming studio.
The new union will include a broad range of roles—game developers, artists, engineers, designers, and support staff—spanning across the entire Diablo series. The Communications Workers of America (CWA), which represents the group, announced the formation and highlighted its significance within the wider labor movement in gaming.
“This is just the first step,” said Kelly Yeo, a team 3 game producer on Diablo and an organizing committee member. “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.”
Yeo pointed to the growing unease among workers following repeated waves of layoffs across the industry, including at major studios. “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,” Yeo said.
The formation of this union follows similar efforts within other Microsoft-acquired studios, including ZeniMax Media and Raven Software. Activision Blizzard’s own Story and Franchise Development department also recently secured union representation, further cementing a trend toward organized labor in the game development sector.
Ron Swaggerty, President of CWA Local 6215, praised the developers' action and emphasized the broader implications. “We are thrilled to welcome these video game workers into Austin’s union family. Each new organizing effort adds momentum to the nationwide movement for video game worker power,” he said.
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