Editing Video game developer (section)

===Unionization===
{{See also|Unionization in the tech sector}}
Similar to other tech industries, video game developers are typically not [[unionized]]. This is a result of the industry being driven more by creativity and innovation rather than production, the lack of distinction between management and employees in the white-collar area, and the pace at which the industry moves that makes union actions difficult to plan out.<ref name="vice union">{{cite web |url=https://www.vice.com/en/article/walk-the-line/ |title=Walk the Line |first=Emanuel |last=Maiberg |date=February 22, 2017 |access-date=February 23, 2017 |work=[[Vice (magazine)|Vice]] |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170222154745/https://motherboard.vice.com/en_us/article/walk-the-line |archive-date=February 22, 2017 |df=mdy-all}}</ref> However, when situations related to crunch time become prevalent in the news, there have typically been followup discussions towards the potential to form a union.<ref name="vice union" /> A survey performed by the [[International Game Developers Association]] in 2014 found that more than half of the 2,200 developers surveyed favored unionization.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.gamesindustry.biz/articles/2014-06-24-56-percent-of-devs-in-favor-of-unionizing-survey |title=56% of devs in favor of unionizing - IGDA |first=Brendan |last=Sinclair |date=June 24, 2014 |access-date=March 22, 2018 |work=[[GamesIndustry.biz]] |archive-date=March 23, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180323031219/https://www.gamesindustry.biz/articles/2014-06-24-56-percent-of-devs-in-favor-of-unionizing-survey |url-status=live }}</ref> A similar survey of over 4,000 game developers run by the [[Game Developers Conference]] in early 2019 found that 47% of respondents felt the video game industry should unionize.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://venturebeat.com/2019/01/24/gdc-survey-half-of-game-developers-support-unionization-believe-steam-is-too-greedy/ |title=GDC survey: Half of game developers support unionization, believe Steam is too greedy |first=Dean |last=Takahashi |date=January 24, 2019 |access-date=January 24, 2019 |work=[[Venture Beat]] |archive-date=January 25, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190125000059/https://venturebeat.com/2019/01/24/gdc-survey-half-of-game-developers-support-unionization-believe-steam-is-too-greedy/ |url-status=live }}</ref>

In 2016, voice actors in the [[SAG-AFTRA|Screen Actors Guild‐American Federation of Television and Radio Artists]] (SAG-AFTRA) union doing work for video games struck several major publishers, demanding better [[royalty payment]]s and provisions related to the safety of their vocal performances, when their union's standard contract was up for renewal. The [[2016–17 video game voice actor strike|voice actor strike]] lasted for over 300 days into 2017 before a new deal was made between SAG-AFTRA and the publishers. While this had some effects on a few games within the industry, it brought to the forefront the question of whether video game developers should unionize.<ref name="vice union"/><ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.rollingstone.com/glixel/news/union-reps-meets-with-game-devs-about-unionization-w518213 |title=Union Reps Meet With Game Devs About Unionization |first=Brian |last=Crecente |date=March 21, 2018 |access-date=March 22, 2018 |work=[[Glixel]] |archive-date=March 30, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180330231947/https://www.rollingstone.com/glixel/news/union-reps-meets-with-game-devs-about-unionization-w518213 |url-status=dead}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.vice.com/en/article/after-destroying-lives-for-decades-gaming-is-finally-talking-unionization/ |title=After Destroying Lives For Decades, Gaming Is Finally Talking Unionization |first=Ian |last=Williams |date=March 23, 2018 |access-date=March 23, 2018 |work=[[Vice (magazine)|Vice]] |archive-date=March 23, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180323224204/https://waypoint.vice.com/en_us/article/7xdv5e/after-destroying-lives-for-decades-gaming-is-finally-talking-unionization |url-status=live }}</ref>

A grassroots movement, [[Game Workers Unite]], was established around 2017 to discuss and debate issues related to unionization of game developers. The group came to the forefront during the March 2018 [[Game Developers Conference]] by holding a roundtable discussion with the [[International Game Developers Association]] (IGDA), the professional association for developers. Statements made by the IGDA's current executive director Jen MacLean relating to IGDA's activities had been seen by as anti-union, and Game Workers Unite desired to start a conversation to lay out the need for developers to unionize.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.polygon.com/2018/3/21/17145242/game-workers-unite-video-game-industry-union |title=This is the group using GDC to bolster game studio unionization efforts |first=Allegra |last=Frank |date=March 21, 2018 |access-date=September 24, 2018 |work=[[Polygon (website)|Polygon]] |archive-date=July 19, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210719222218/https://www.polygon.com/2018/3/21/17145242/game-workers-unite-video-game-industry-union |url-status=live }}</ref> In the wake of the sudden near-closure of [[Telltale Games]] in September 2018, the movement again called out for the industry to unionize. The movement argued that Telltale had not given any warning to its 250 employees let go, having hired additional staff as recently as a week prior, and left them without pensions or health-care options; it was further argued that the studio considered this a closure rather than layoffs, as to get around failure to notify required by the [[Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification Act of 1988]] preceding layoffs.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://kotaku.com/telltale-employees-left-stunned-by-company-closure-no-1829272139 |title=Telltale Employees Left Stunned By Company Closure, No Severance |first=Ethan |last=Gach |date=September 24, 2018 |access-date=September 24, 2018 |work=[[Kotaku]] |archive-date=September 24, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180924171009/https://kotaku.com/telltale-employees-left-stunned-by-company-closure-no-1829272139 |url-status=live }}</ref> The situation was argued to be "exploitive", as Telltale had been known to force its employees to frequently work under "crunch time" to deliver its games.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.gamesindustry.biz/articles/2018-09-24-telltales-treatment-of-laid-off-staff-a-problem-endemic-in-the-industry |title=Telltale's treatment of staff "a problem endemic in the industry" |first=Matthew |last=Handradan |date=September 24, 2018 |access-date=September 24, 2018 |work=[[GamesIndustry.biz]] |archive-date=March 8, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210308103512/https://www.gamesindustry.biz/articles/2018-09-24-telltales-treatment-of-laid-off-staff-a-problem-endemic-in-the-industry |url-status=live }}</ref> By the end of 2018, a United Kingdom trade union, Game Workers Unite UK, an affiliate of the Game Workers Unite movement, had been legally established.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://variety.com/2018/gaming/news/game-workers-unite-uk-video-game-union-1203090102/ |title=Game Workers Unite UK Is That Country's First Games Industry Union |first=Stephanie |last=Fogel |date=December 14, 2018 |access-date=January 29, 2019 |work=[[Variety (magazine)|Variety]] |archive-date=January 29, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190129235922/https://variety.com/2018/gaming/news/game-workers-unite-uk-video-game-union-1203090102/ |url-status=live }}</ref>

Following [[Activision Blizzard]]'s financial report for the previous quarter in February 2019, the company said that they would be laying off around 775 employees (about 8% of their workforce) despite having record profits for that quarter. Further calls for unionization came from this news, including the [[AFL–CIO]] writing an open letter to video game developers encouraging them to unionize.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.gamedeveloper.com/production/us-labor-organization-afl-cio-urges-game-developers-to-unionize-in-open-letter |title=US labor organization AFL-CIO urges game developers to unionize in open letter |first=Alissa |last=McAloon |date=February 15, 2019 |access-date=February 15, 2019 |work=[[Gamasutra]] |archive-date=February 15, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190215230423/http://www.gamasutra.com/view/news/336812/US_labor_organization_AFLCIO_urges_game_developers_to_unionize_in_open_letter.php |url-status=live }}</ref>

In January 2020, Game Workers Unite and the [[Communications Workers of America]] established a new campaign to push for unionization of video game developers, the [[Campaign to Organize Digital Employees]] (CODE), in January 2020. Initial efforts for CODE were aimed to determine what approach to unionization would be best suited for the video game industry. Whereas some video game employees believe they should follow the craft-based model used by SAG-AFTRA which would unionize based on job function, others feel an industry-wide union, regardless of job position, would be better.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.latimes.com/business/technology/story/2020-01-07/major-union-launches-campaign-to-organize-video-game-and-tech-workers |title=Major union launches campaign to organize video game and tech workers |first=Sam |last=Dean |date=January 7, 2020 |access-date=January 7, 2020 |work=[[The Los Angeles Times]] |archive-date=January 13, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200113022608/https://www.latimes.com/business/technology/story/2020-01-07/major-union-launches-campaign-to-organize-video-game-and-tech-workers |url-status=live }}</ref>

Starting in 2021, several smaller game studios in the United States began efforts to unionize. These mostly involved teams doing [[quality assurance]] rather than developers. These studios included three QA studios under [[Blizzard Entertainment]]: [[Raven Software]], [[Blizzard Albany]], and Proletariat; and [[Zenimax Media]]'s QA team. [[Microsoft]], which had previously acquired Zenimax and announced plans to acquire Blizzard via the acquisition of [[Activision Blizzard]], stated it supported these unionization efforts.<ref>{{cite web | url = https://www.polygon.com/gaming/23538801/video-game-studio-union-microsoft-activision-blizzard | title = The game studios changing the industry by unionizing | first = Nicole | last = Carpenter | date = January 8, 2023 | accessdate = January 8, 2023 | work = [[Polymer (website)|Polymer]] | archive-date = January 8, 2023 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20230108180537/https://www.polygon.com/gaming/23538801/video-game-studio-union-microsoft-activision-blizzard | url-status = live }}</ref> After this acquisition, the employees of [[Bethesda Game Studios]], part of Zenimax under Microsoft, unionized under the [[Communications Workers of America]] (CWA) in July 2024.<ref>{{cite web | url = https://www.theverge.com/2024/7/19/24202271/bethesda-game-studios-workers-unionize-cwa | title = Bethesda Game Studios workers have unionized | first = Jay | last = Peters | date = July 19, 2024 | accessdate = July 20, 2024 | work = [[The Verge]] }}</ref> Over 500 employees within [[Blizzard Entertainment]]'s ''[[World of Warcraft]]'' division also unionized with CWA that same month.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Eidelson |first=Josh |date=2024-07-24 |title=Microsoft's 'World of Warcraft' Gaming Staff Votes to Unionize |url=https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2024-07-24/world-of-warcraft-unionizes-growing-foothold-at-microsoft-s-activision-blizzard |access-date=2024-07-24 |work=Bloomberg.com |language=en}}</ref> Similarly, Blizzard's ''[[Overwatch]]'' team unionized in May 2025.<ref>{{cite web | url = https://kotaku.com/overwatch-2-blizzard-team-4-union-microsoft-1851779922 | title = Blizzard's Overwatch Team Just Unionized: 'What I Want To Protect Most Here Is The People' | first = Ethan | last = Gach | date = May 9, 2025 | accessdate = May 9, 2025 | work = [[Kotaku]] }}</ref>

Sweden presents a unique case where nearly all parts of its labor force, including white-collar jobs such as video game development, may engage with labor unions under the [[Employment Protection Act (of Sweden)|Employment Protection Act]] often through [[collective bargaining]] agreements. Developer [[DICE (company)|DICE]] had reached its union agreements in 2004.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.polygon.com/features/2013/10/23/4817662/pid-might-and-delight-crunch |title=Scandinavian Crunch: Pid Developer Might and Delight Goes Its Own Way |first=Eric |last=Fridén |date=October 23, 2013 |access-date=June 3, 2020 |work=[[Polygon (website)|Polygon]] |archive-date=April 25, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200425071006/https://www.polygon.com/features/2013/10/23/4817662/pid-might-and-delight-crunch |url-status=live }}</ref> [[Paradox Interactive]] became one of the first major publishers to support unionization efforts in June 2020 with its own agreements to cover its Swedish employees within two labor unions [[Unionen]] and [[Swedish Confederation of Professional Employees|SACO]].<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.usgamer.net/articles/paradox-reaches-agreement-with-swedish-unions |title=Paradox Reaches Agreement With Swedish Unions For Better Pay, Benefits, And More |first=Mathew |last=Olsen |date=June 3, 2020 |access-date=June 3, 2020 |work=[[USGamer]] |archive-date=June 3, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200603150040/https://www.usgamer.net/articles/paradox-reaches-agreement-with-swedish-unions |url-status=dead }}</ref> In Australia, video game developers could join other unions, but the first video game-specific union, Game Workers Unite Australia, was formed in December 2021 under [[Professionals Australia]] to become active in 2022.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://kotaku.com/australian-video-games-industry-is-getting-its-own-unio-1848170347 |title=Australian Video Games Industry Is Getting Its Own Union |date=December 6, 2021 |access-date=December 6, 2021 |first=Luke |last=Plunkett |work=[[Kotaku]] |archive-date=December 7, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211207015914/https://kotaku.com/australian-video-games-industry-is-getting-its-own-unio-1848170347 |url-status=live }}</ref> In Canada, in a historic move, video game workers in Edmonton unanimously voted to unionize for the first time in June 2022.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Weststar |first1=Johanna |title=Canada's first video game union shows that labour organizing is on the rise |url=https://theconversation.com/canadas-first-video-game-union-shows-that-labour-organizing-is-on-the-rise-184827 |access-date=July 22, 2022 |work=The Conversation |date=June 21, 2022 |archive-date=July 22, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220722061055/https://theconversation.com/canadas-first-video-game-union-shows-that-labour-organizing-is-on-the-rise-184827 |url-status=live }}</ref>

In January 2023, after not being credited in ''[[The Last of Us (TV series)|The Last of Us]]'' HBO adaptation, [[Bruce Straley]] called for [[unionization]] of the [[video game industry]].<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.latimes.com/entertainment-arts/story/2023-01-15/the-last-of-us-hbo-tv-show-video-game-history-neil-druckmann |title=How 'The Last of Us' changed gaming, strained relationships and spawned an empire |last=Martens |first=Todd |work=[[Los Angeles Times]] |date=January 15, 2023 |accessdate=January 19, 2023 |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20230115160458/https://www.latimes.com/entertainment-arts/story/2023-01-15/the-last-of-us-hbo-tv-show-video-game-history-neil-druckmann |archivedate=January 15, 2023 |url-status=live }}</ref> He told the ''[[Los Angeles Times]]'': "Someone who was part of the co-creation of that world and those characters isn't getting a credit or a nickel for the work they put into it. Maybe we need unions in the video game industry to be able to protect creators."<ref>{{cite news|last=Broadwell|first=Josh|date=January 19, 2023|title=The Last of Us director calls for unionization in the games industry|url=https://ftw.usatoday.com/2023/01/the-last-of-us-director-unionization-games-industry|access-date=January 20, 2023|work=USA Today|archive-date=January 20, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230120130347/https://ftw.usatoday.com/2023/01/the-last-of-us-director-unionization-games-industry|url-status=live}}</ref>

An industry-wide union, the United Video game Workers-CWA (UVA-CWA), for North American workers, was announced in March 2025 with support from the Communication Workers of America.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.engadget.com/big-tech/video-game-workers-in-north-america-now-have-an-industry-wide-union-130024730.html |title=Video game workers in North America now have an industry-wide union |website=Engadget |last=Bonk |first=Lawrence |date=March 19, 2025 |access-date=May 5, 2025}}</ref>