Almost 1,900 Blizzard workers vote through a "historic" union contract securing protections against layoffs and gen-AI
Around 1,900 unionised workers at Blizzard Entertainment have voted to ratify their first contract with the World of Warcraft publisher after years of negotiations. The union contract means Blizzard now has to bargain with staff over the use of generative-AI in game development, and workers also have better protection against any potential layoffs. Read more
Nearly 1,900 unionized employees at Blizzard Entertainment approved their inaugural contract with the parent company, World of Warcraft publisher, after extensive negotiations. This monumental contract guarantees Blizzard must engage in discussions with the workforce concerning the implementation of generative-AI in game development, and also extends enhanced safeguards against potential layoffs.
The agreement encompasses all union-represented personnel across World of Warcraft, Warcraft Rumble, Hearthstone, Overwatch, and Diablo teams, as well as employees from Blizzard's QA, Platform and Technology, and Story and Franchise Development units.
The Communications Workers of America labor union hailed the new contract as "historic" in a recent press release, stating that Blizzard is now obligated to discuss, evaluate, and bargain over the utilization of artificial intelligence in the workplace. This is a groundbreaking development in the video game industry. Union members secured an additional four weeks of severance pay, in case of any layoffs, a provision that also includes the right to be recalled into open positions within any Blizzard bargaining unit for 14 months from the layoff announcement date.
Overwatch QA employee Simon Hedrick expressed his satisfaction, saying, "I look forward to the day that everyone in the industry can enjoy the protections that this contract affords us, like increased severance and recall rights in the event of a layoff and the ability to grieve injustices in the workplace." Hedrick believes the positive change secured through this contract will extend its benefits to the broader games industry, thereby improving conditions for both workers and players.
Blizzard unionization efforts have been ongoing for many years and have recently intensified. This latest victory follows Blizzard's own recent layoffs, which included 1,600 job cuts across its subsidiaries. While Blizzard workers were not directly affected in this instance, the unionization efforts at Blizzard come just months after Xbox announced a similar round of 1,600 job cuts across its subsidiaries.
In response to the contract, Blizzard president Johanna Faries stated that the new agreement marks a significant milestone and reflects the company's shared commitment to supporting its teams and players. BlizzCon 2026, scheduled to take place this weekend, is expected to include discussions on the future of several Blizzard games.
Written by urgent.news from Eurogamer's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
