Hearthstone and Warcraft Rumble developers unionize at Activision Blizzard

Workers in Blizzard's Hearthstone and Warcraft Rumble teams have voted to unionise with the Communications Workers of America (CWA).

The details:

• Over 100 software engineers, designers, artists, quality assurance testers, and producers voted to join CWA Local 9510 in Irvine, California, with Microsoft recognising the union. The workers voted strongly in favour of wall-to-wall union representation either by signing a union authorization card or indicating support via an online portal.
• The unit builds off unprecedented organising momentum across Blizzard departments and studios, with over 1,900 Blizzard workers now unionized under CWA, including Platform & Technology, Story and Franchise Development, Diablo, and Overwatch teams. The Hearthstone and Warcraft Rumble workers stated that they were inspired by the World of Warcraft organising efforts from July 2024, when over 500 developers formed the Warcraft Gamemakers Guild. "My coworkers, as individuals, have voiced many concerns over the years, but it is easy for any company to ignore individuals," said organising committee member and game designer Dominic Calkosz. "We chose to organise in pursuit of a collective voice and a force of solidarity that the industry cannot ignore.”
• The move comes at a critical time, as Microsoft carried out major layoffs across its gaming division back in July, including cuts that reportedly led to Blizzard winding down development on Warcraft Rumble. Other studios impacted by job losses and closures included Rare, The Initiative, and by extension, Crystal Dynamics.
• The neutrality agreement covering Activision Blizzard workers expires in October 2025, which could make forming future unions more difficult. Microsoft signed its first neutrality agreement with CWA in 2022 to reassure regulators about its $68.7 billion acquisition of Activision Blizzard, but now that the deal is complete, the company has less reason to maintain such agreements.