- After more than two years of negotiations, Blizzard workers ratified their first union contracts with Microsoft, covering nearly 1,900 employees.
- The agreement introduces protections covering generative AI use, crediting, remote work, and layoffs.
- The contract lasts for four to five years depending on the bargaining group, and includes crediting provisions, requiring current and former staff to be listed by name on every title they contributed to.
- The contract sets a 60-day notice period or pay in lieu, a week of severance for every six months worked, and 14 months of recall rights.
- A successorship clause ensures the entire agreement stays in effect even if Blizzard is sold to another company.
- The contract stipulates that while AI tools "may be useful in the game development process to support human judgment and creativity," AI-assisted workflows "remain subject to appropriate human control and review for accuracy and quality," and any AI tech that would "materially impact work performed by union employees" must be bargained over before implementation.
- Blizzard president Johanna Faries stated: "The ratification of these agreements marks a significant milestone and reflects our shared commitment to continuing to work together in support of our teams and our players."
- Blizzard quality assurance workers in Albany, N.Y. and Austin, Texas were the first to unionize in 2022, followed by World of Warcraft employees in 2024.
- Last year, workers on the Overwatch, Diablo, Hearthstone and Warcraft Rumble games teams, as well as the story and franchise development and platform technology units, unionized.
- Blizzard's previously separate unions have been reconfigured into three main bargaining units: the first covers World of Warcraft, Blizzard QA and Hearthstone; the second covers platform and technology, customer support, localization, and story and franchise development; and the third covers Diablo and Overwatch.
Blizzard Entertainment has ratified its first union contract with Microsoft, a significant milestone for nearly 1,900 employees across various departments. The contract, finalized after over two years of negotiations, includes provisions for AI use, crediting, remote work, and layoffs.23
The agreement introduces protections for generative AI, ensuring that while AI tools may assist in game development, they remain under human control. It mandates that any AI technology impacting union work must be negotiated before implementation. Additionally, the contract stipulates a 60-day notice period for layoffs, with severance pay of one week for every six months worked and 14 months of recall rights for laid-off employees.4
Blizzard's president, Johanna Faries, expressed appreciation for the dedication of employees and the bargaining committees, stating, "The ratification of these agreements marks a significant milestone and reflects our shared commitment to continuing to work together in support of our teams and our players."78
The contract also consolidates Blizzard's previously separate unions into three main bargaining units, covering teams from World of Warcraft to Diablo and Overwatch. This new era aims to enhance workplace conditions and set a precedent for the gaming industry, as noted by Simon Hedrick, a member of the bargaining committee.9101112
As the gaming industry faces challenges, including layoffs affecting about 20% of Blizzard's workforce, this contract is seen as a crucial step in protecting workers' rights and ensuring fair treatment in a rapidly evolving landscape.
“The contract, lasting four to five years, includes a successorship clause that keeps it in effect even if Blizzard is sold, and requires AI tools to remain under human control. Blizzard president Johanna Faries called ratification a 'significant milestone' in a statement.”
GamesIndustry.biz
