Overwatch Devs are Unionizing

Business

13 May 2025 09:53

200 developers working on Overwatch 2 at Activision Blizzard have voted to unionize, joining a growing wave of labor organization across the video game industry. The newly formed unit, named The Overwatch Gamemakers Guild-CWA (OWGG-CWA), becomes the latest group of workers to join the Communications Workers of America (CWA), one of the most active unions in the tech and gaming sectors.

The OWGG-CWA is described by the CWA as a “wall-to-wall unit,” encompassing game developers from all corners of the development pipeline—including design, engineering, production, art, sound, and quality assurance. According to the union, the vote was backed by an “overwhelming majority” of the Overwatch 2 team.

“California continues to be a hub for video game organizing, and we are excited to welcome Overwatch game developers to CWA alongside our video game union siblings at World of Warcraft and SEGA of America,” said CWA Local 9510 President Jason Justice. “When workers come together to build power, we become able to ensure a brighter future for all.”

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The decision comes amid widespread layoffs across the gaming industry, with many studios facing workforce reductions despite continued commercial success. For many developers, unionization has become a means to gain more control over their working conditions, job security, and corporate transparency.

Frank Le Cocq, a VFX artist and organizing committee member, pointed to these challenges as a motivating factor.

“The massive layoffs in the video game industry, and at my own studio, became one of the first reasons I started to learn about how to organize to create a healthier workplace for everyone,” he said. “When we began our union efforts, it was empowering to know that our coworkers next door at World of Warcraft had already successfully gone through the process.”

The move by the Overwatch 2 team follows a successful union vote by Activision's user research department in March and reflects a broader shift in the video game industry. As developers continue to face mounting pressure from long hours, unstable contracts, and inconsistent management, more workers are seeing unionization as a viable path toward securing better treatment.

With the backing of the CWA, the OWGG-CWA is expected to begin the collective bargaining process in the coming months. Microsoft, which acquired Activision Blizzard in 2023, has previously stated it will remain neutral during union efforts, a stance that has helped facilitate these recent organizing campaigns.

Tags: Overwatch

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Overwatch Devs are Unionizing

Business

13 May 2025 09:53

Tags: Overwatch

200 developers working on Overwatch 2 at Activision Blizzard have voted to unionize, joining a growing wave of labor organization across the video game industry. The newly formed unit, named The Overwatch Gamemakers Guild-CWA (OWGG-CWA), becomes the latest group of workers to join the Communications Workers of America (CWA), one of the most active unions in the tech and gaming sectors.

The OWGG-CWA is described by the CWA as a “wall-to-wall unit,” encompassing game developers from all corners of the development pipeline—including design, engineering, production, art, sound, and quality assurance. According to the union, the vote was backed by an “overwhelming majority” of the Overwatch 2 team.

“California continues to be a hub for video game organizing, and we are excited to welcome Overwatch game developers to CWA alongside our video game union siblings at World of Warcraft and SEGA of America,” said CWA Local 9510 President Jason Justice. “When workers come together to build power, we become able to ensure a brighter future for all.”

More:YouTube to Change Ads

The decision comes amid widespread layoffs across the gaming industry, with many studios facing workforce reductions despite continued commercial success. For many developers, unionization has become a means to gain more control over their working conditions, job security, and corporate transparency.

Frank Le Cocq, a VFX artist and organizing committee member, pointed to these challenges as a motivating factor.

“The massive layoffs in the video game industry, and at my own studio, became one of the first reasons I started to learn about how to organize to create a healthier workplace for everyone,” he said. “When we began our union efforts, it was empowering to know that our coworkers next door at World of Warcraft had already successfully gone through the process.”

The move by the Overwatch 2 team follows a successful union vote by Activision's user research department in March and reflects a broader shift in the video game industry. As developers continue to face mounting pressure from long hours, unstable contracts, and inconsistent management, more workers are seeing unionization as a viable path toward securing better treatment.

With the backing of the CWA, the OWGG-CWA is expected to begin the collective bargaining process in the coming months. Microsoft, which acquired Activision Blizzard in 2023, has previously stated it will remain neutral during union efforts, a stance that has helped facilitate these recent organizing campaigns.

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