In an important move for labor rights in the gaming industry, video game workers across the United States and Canada have launched United Videogame Workers-CWA Local 9433, the first industry-wide union for game developers in North America.
This newly formed organization partners with the Communications Workers of America (CWA) and the American Federation of Musicians (AFM) to tackle longstanding workplace issues.
Unlike previous unionization efforts that focused on individual studios, this “direct-join” union aims to represent workers across multiple companies, providing a united front against industry-wide problems. The structure allows employees from different organizations to join easily, creating strength in numbers that individual studio unions couldn’t achieve.
“This is about giving workers a collective voice,” said a representative from the newly formed union.
The initiative targets common issues in game development, including notorious “crunch culture” where employees are expected to work extreme hours to meet deadlines, job insecurity from frequent layoffs, and concerns about outsourcing and AI implementation threatening careers.
The gaming industry has faced increasing scrutiny over its labor practices in recent years. Major publishers and studios have made headlines for mandatory overtime, sudden mass layoffs, and treatment of contract workers who lack benefits and security.
Despite record profits for many companies, workers have struggled to secure fair compensation and sustainable work conditions.
The CWA brings substantial experience to this effort, having successfully organized workers across multiple industries. Their involvement provides crucial resources and expertise to the fledgling union. The partnership with AFM is particularly relevant for voice actors, musicians, and sound designers who contribute to games but often work as contractors with limited protections.
Incoming boss fight
The union faces significant challenges as it gets underway. Large publishers are likely to resist organization efforts, potentially leading to contentious battles over recognition. Some industry observers worry that unionization could accelerate layoffs or increase reliance on AI solutions if companies perceive union labor as too costly.
The United Videogame Workers-CWA plans to kick off major recruitment efforts at the Game Developers Conference (GDC), hoping to build momentum and sign up members from across the industry. Success will largely depend on whether teams at major studios collectively decide to join the effort.
