Microsoft officially recognizes new union of 241 Bethesda Game Studios workers

241 workers at Bethesda Game Studios have officially unionized with the Communication Workers of America (CWA), establishing the first comprehensive union at a Microsoft game studio. The union is comprised of artists, designers, engineers, and programmers and aims to set a new standard for the video game industry.

The details:

• A significant number of employees at Bethesda—most notable for hits like Elder Scrolls, Fallout, and Starfield—released a statement on Friday, July 19 explaining that developers at the studio's Austin, Dallas, and Rockville locations were joining the union.
• They affirmed advocacy "for the betterment of every developer at BGS, setting the new standard for our industry" and pledged to help empower their workers to create "a safe, sustainable, and equitable work environment for all" and to fight for "increased job security, compensation transparency, and flexibility to continue creating the games we love."
• The powerful statement concluded with something of a rallying cry, "As we work towards our first contract with Microsoft, we hope you'll join us in voicing your support as we serve as an example for all, into the next era of game development."
• According to Bloomberg reporter Jason Schreier on X, Microsoft has recognized the union. This has led to hope for reform in the wider industry, which has seen tens of thousands of layoffs and numerous studio closures in the last 20 months.

Other recent Microsoft news:

• Microsoft has announced that the price of Xbox Game Pass will increase across all tiers and that subscribers to the standard tier will be unable to access day one releases.
• It has been claimed that Microsoft may be working on a new remaster of Halo: Combat Evolved to bring the iconic shooter series to PlayStation for the first time.