Overwatch devs have formed an almost 200 person strong union with the CWA called The Overwatch Gamemakers Guild
1 min read
Summary
Almost 200 developers from Activision Blizzard who work on Overwatch have joined communications workers of America (CWA) to form Overwatch Gamemakers Guild-CWA (OWGG-CWA).
This is not the first games union that Microsoft has recognised; last year, workers from Bethesda’s parent company ZeniMax also joined CWA.
Elmendorf from Overwatch and organising committee member stated that after a long history of layoffs, crunch, and poor working conditions in the global video game industry, workers are thrilled to be joining the wider union effort.
It is worth noting that Microsoft has not met the needs of the ZeniMax union, which is preparing for strike action.
This move from OWGG-CWA is impressive as it involves developers from different disciplines including design, production, engineering, art, sound, and quality assurance.
This is a significant development in the gaming industry and could prompt other developers to consider solidarity union actions.
