Austin Workers Unionize at Game Studio Blizzard: Diablo Team Gains Recognition

In an Industry Win, Gaming Workers are Recognized

In a significant development, employees in the gaming industry have made strides toward improving working conditions and security. Employees at Blizzard Entertainment’s Austin office, known for its popular Diablo and Hearthstone franchises, have successfully unionized. Quality Assurance (QA) workers, who form an integral part of game development, joined the Communications Workers of America (CWA), a move that has been officially recognized by the studio.

The Vital Role of Quality Assurance (QA)

Quality Assurance is an essential aspect of game design and development, going beyond mere playtesting. QA workers act as bug finders, contribute to gameplay input, participate in testing development, adapt games for different markets, and assess risks. “[QA] considers factors the developers may not be focused on,” said Jonathan Boakes, a Diablo Immortal test analyst and a key figure in the unionizing initiative.

A Win for Gaming Workers, a Trend for the Future

This significant move comes on the heels of similar achievements in the gaming industry, including the recognition of over 500 World of Warcraft team members by Microsoft and the successful unionization of 240 employees at Bethesda Game Studios earlier this month. “It’s been really cool to see the celebration across other companies and other unions,” said Boakes, affirming that even though the number of new members in Austin may seem small, it forms part of a larger, more significant trend.

A Long-standing Problem finally being Addressed

Workers’ rights in the gaming industry have been contentious for decades. There have been numerous cases of ‘crunch,’ where staff and freelancers are overworked to meet tough deadlines. In recent months, the industry has seen widespread layoffs at major companies, suggesting a prioritization of stock prices over employee welfare. The recent steps towards unionization promise a hopeful silver lining to these issues.

The CWA launched the Campaign to Organize Digital Employees (CODE-CWA) to facilitate and encourage unionization within the digital industry. The Blizzard QA staff is among over 4,000 worker-organizers they have assisted so far.

The Next Steps: Negotiations and the Future of Gaming

Now that the unionization has been recognized, the next step is to survey the members regarding their critical issues for contract negotiations. Pay certainly will take precedence, but Boakes also mentioned potential layoffs as a major concern. He expressed hope that employers would view unions as partners, mentioning the detrimental effect talent loss could have on game development. “We want to make good games. We work for Blizzard because we love working at Blizzard,” said Boakes.

While there’s still a long way to go, the recent events signal progress in workers’ rights in the gaming industry. For many within the industry, it is a welcome change that assures a brighter, more secure future for gaming workers.