We wish to start out this piece by noting a sad but important truth about life: no workplace is perfect. Even if you got your “dream job,” you’d likely soon find that there was SOMETHING about it that was holding it back in your mind. In the video game industry, there are many misconceptions about the workplace environment developers are in, including that it’s “fun all the time.” Recent times alone prove that’s not the case, and then, you recall stories about places like Blizzard, and things get taken to another level. Thankfully, it appears that things are changing for the better.
Specifically, at Blizzard, the teams in the narrative and franchise development divisions officially formed themselves into a union via the Communications Workers of America. On an official post on the CWA website, multiple members of the workforce talked about what it meant to help make this union happen. One noted:
“After more than a decade working at Blizzard, I’ve seen all the highs and lows. For years, Blizzard has been a place where people could build their careers and stay for decades, but that stability’s been fading. With a union, we’re able to preserve what makes this place special, secure real transparency in how decisions are made, and make sure policies are applied fairly to everyone.”
That last line in particular is important, for the developer, once one of the most revered in the world, has faced all manner of accusations and even lawsuits due to the behavior of some of its leadership. This applied to both its singular form and via its Activision Blizzard form, where its CEO, among others, was accused of making a “frat boy” culture that discriminated against women, resulting in lower pay and fewer promotions for them. If this place had been a “dream job” for them, it soon turned into a nightmare.
The CWA president in charge of helping make this union happen stated in the press release:
“Their decision to organize is another powerful step toward ensuring that every worker at Blizzard and Microsoft has a seat at the table to shape the conditions under which their art is made.”
That’s very important, because video game workers have often been on the “bottom part of the totem pole,” forced to work long hours because there were no protections to keep them safe. More and more video game unions like these are starting to pop up, and hopefully, it’ll change the industry for the better.
