Sixty game developers at Ubisoft Halifax just rewrote the rules for one of gaming’s biggest publishers. On December 18, 2024, the Nova Scotia Labour Board certified the Game & Media Workers Guild of Canada as the bargaining agent for Ubisoft Halifax workers after 74% voted yes in a certification vote. This makes Ubisoft Halifax the first unionized Ubisoft studio in North America, marking a significant milestone in an industry increasingly defined by worker organizing.
The certification comes exactly six months after workers initially filed for union recognition in June 2024. The new bargaining unit covers approximately 60 employees including producers, programmers, designers, artists, researchers, and development testers. They’re joining CWA Canada Local 30111, which already represents nearly 120 game workers at Bethesda Game Studios in Montreal.
Why Ubisoft Halifax Organized
The workers’ decision to unionize wasn’t driven by hostility toward Ubisoft. In their mission statement, the organizing team made this clear. “We are unionizing not in opposition to Ubisoft, but in partnership, with the goal of ensuring our studio remains a beacon of equity, excellence, and innovation.”
Instead, the unionization effort reflects the brutal reality facing game developers across North America. Senior server programmer Thomas Gillis articulated the core motivation in the union’s announcement. “Unionizing with my coworkers at Ubisoft Halifax is important to me so that we have the strength needed to protect what we have today and to fight for our tomorrow. With no end in sight to the industry-wide turbulence that sees studios shutter on releasing games fans love, it is up to us, the workers, to organize and demand a say in our labour, art and future.”
The gaming industry laid off over 15,000 developers in 2024 alone, surpassing the 10,000 layoffs from 2023. Studios are closing. Projects are being cancelled mid-development. Even critically acclaimed games aren’t protecting developers from unemployment. In this environment, unionization offers a form of job security that individual employees simply cannot achieve on their own.
Ubisoft Halifax workers also emphasized their pride in the studio’s culture. The organizing team highlighted the studio’s diversity, near-gender parity, and inclusive environment as values worth protecting. Rather than organizing because conditions were terrible, they organized to ensure good conditions remain and improve. It’s a proactive approach to labor organizing that reflects a mature understanding of how quickly things can change in the volatile gaming industry.
The Six-Month Journey to Certification
The path to unionization began in June 2024 when a majority of the roughly 60-person team signed union cards and filed with the Nova Scotia Labour Board. The filing followed months of internal organizing, with workers quietly building support and discussing their concerns about industry instability.
Unlike hostile union drives at companies actively fighting worker organization, Ubisoft did not wage an aggressive anti-union campaign. The company released statements emphasizing its commitment to maintaining positive relationships with employees, though it stopped short of voluntarily recognizing the union without a vote.
The secret ballot vote held by the Nova Scotia Labour Board resulted in a decisive 74% yes vote. That margin represents strong support across the bargaining unit, suggesting workers united around shared concerns rather than facing a divided workplace. Higher yes percentages typically indicate stronger worker solidarity and make contract negotiations more effective since management knows the workforce stands together.
CWA Canada President Carmel Smyth celebrated the certification, calling the Halifax workers “part of a generation that is making life at work so much better for everyone.” She emphasized the next step – negotiating a first collective agreement that recognizes the talent and dedication of Ubisoft Halifax workers. That contract negotiation process will likely take months, addressing issues like compensation, working conditions, job security, and grievance procedures.
Ubisoft’s Complex History With Labor
This certification represents a significant shift for Ubisoft, a company with a troubled labor history. The French publisher faced massive scandals in 2020 and 2021 involving allegations of workplace harassment, discrimination, and toxic culture. Hundreds of employees signed open letters demanding accountability and systemic change. Some executives were fired or resigned, but many workers felt the company’s response was insufficient.
In 2022, employee group A Better Ubisoft released a report stating that one year after their initial demands, none had been met. A quarter of employees who signed the original open letter had subsequently quit the company. The disconnect between management promises and actual change drove many talented developers away from Ubisoft studios worldwide.
Ubisoft also has a history of crushing union attempts before they could succeed. IGN published an in-depth investigation in 2023 detailing the failed unionization effort at Longtail Studios, a Ubisoft-owned studio in Quebec, back in 2008. According to multiple sources, when management discovered the union organizing effort, they systematically laid off every strong union supporter. The two primary organizers were fired, effectively killing the union drive before it could reach a vote.
The aftermath of that failed attempt haunted participants for years. Several people involved in the 2008 unionization effort reported struggling to find work in Quebec’s game industry afterward, believing word of their union activity had blacklisted them. One organizer successfully sued Longtail for wrongful termination, but the damage was done. The failed attempt sent a chilling message to other Ubisoft workers considering organizing.
That makes the Ubisoft Halifax certification all the more significant. Workers organized successfully despite knowing the company’s history. The fact that 74% voted yes suggests contemporary Ubisoft workers are less intimidated by potential retaliation than their predecessors. Increased labor protections in Canada and growing public support for unionization have created an environment where workers feel more secure organizing.
The Broader Gaming Unionization Wave
Ubisoft Halifax joins a rapidly growing list of unionized game studios in North America. The unionization wave accelerated dramatically in 2024 as mass layoffs demonstrated the precarious nature of game development employment.
Bethesda Game Studios became the first Microsoft game developer to fully unionize in July 2024, forming a wall-to-wall union of 241 developers across studios in Dallas, Rockville, and Austin. Their Montreal office had unionized separately in June 2024 with CWA Canada, the same union local that Ubisoft Halifax just joined. Together, these Bethesda unions represent hundreds of developers working on franchises like Elder Scrolls, Fallout, and Starfield.
Activision Blizzard saw multiple unionization drives succeed following Microsoft’s acquisition. Quality assurance teams were among the first to organize, with roughly 300 QA workers at ZeniMax unionizing in 2022. Nearly 200 Overwatch developers formed the Overwatch Gamemakers Guild in May 2025. World of Warcraft teams, Hearthstone developers, and other Blizzard divisions have all successfully unionized.
Sega of America workers formed AEGIS (Allied Employees Guild Improving Sega) and demonstrated the power of collective bargaining when they saved 18 jobs during a 61-person layoff in early 2024. Without union representation, all 18 likely would have lost their jobs. That concrete example of union effectiveness encouraged other studios to consider organizing.
In March 2025, game workers launched United Videogame Workers – CWA, an industry-wide direct-join union. Unlike traditional workplace-specific unions, UVW-CWA allows any game developer in the United States or Canada to join regardless of where they work. It’s designed to build solidarity across the fragmented industry and advocate for systemic changes that no single studio union could achieve alone.
What Makes This Wave Different
Previous unionization attempts in gaming often failed due to industry culture, rapid studio turnover, and aggressive union-busting. The current wave succeeds because conditions have fundamentally changed. Mass layoffs affecting even successful studios demonstrated that individual merit doesn’t protect workers from arbitrary terminations. Developers who once believed hard work and talent guaranteed job security now understand they’re expendable.
The 2023 and 2024 layoffs created unprecedented instability. Over 16,000 game developers lost their jobs across those two years. Studios that shipped critically acclaimed, commercially successful games still closed permanently. Tango Gameworks released Hi-Fi Rush to universal praise then got shuttered by Microsoft months later. That kind of senseless waste convinced many developers that individual excellence won’t save them – only collective action will.
Microsoft’s labor neutrality agreement with CWA also changed the landscape. As part of securing approval for the Activision Blizzard acquisition, Microsoft committed to not opposing union organizing at its gaming divisions. That neutrality allowed unions to form without the typical anti-union campaigns that kill most organizing drives. Other publishers may follow Microsoft’s lead if only to avoid public backlash and regulatory scrutiny.
What Happens Next at Ubisoft Halifax
Now that certification is official, Ubisoft Halifax workers and management enter contract negotiations. The union’s bargaining committee will present demands covering wages, benefits, working conditions, job security provisions, and grievance procedures. Management will counter with their own proposals. The process typically takes months, sometimes stretching into years for first contracts.
Key issues will likely include protection from arbitrary layoffs, advance notice requirements for workforce reductions, crunch time limitations, overtime compensation, health benefits, and remote work policies. Given the emphasis workers placed on preserving their studio culture, contract language around hiring practices, diversity initiatives, and workplace harassment procedures will probably feature prominently.
The contract will also need to address artificial intelligence, a hot-button issue across the entertainment industry. The 2024-2025 SAG-AFTRA video game strike centered on AI protections for voice actors. Ubisoft Halifax developers will want safeguards ensuring AI doesn’t replace their jobs or devalue their contributions without appropriate compensation.
CWA Canada brings significant negotiating experience to the table. The union represents 6,000 workers across media, tech, and gaming companies throughout Canada. Their negotiators understand the specific challenges facing game developers and have successfully bargained contracts at other studios. That expertise will prove invaluable as Ubisoft Halifax workers navigate their first contract.
Impact on the Rest of Ubisoft
The Halifax certification puts pressure on other Ubisoft studios across North America. If workers in Nova Scotia can successfully unionize and negotiate a strong contract, workers at Ubisoft Montreal, Toronto, Quebec City, San Francisco, and other North American locations will wonder why they shouldn’t do the same.
Ubisoft Montreal, the company’s flagship North American studio with over 4,000 employees, represents an enormous potential bargaining unit. Organizing a studio that size presents significant challenges, but the Halifax precedent demonstrates it’s possible within Ubisoft’s corporate structure. Quebec’s labor laws are relatively worker-friendly compared to many U.S. states, potentially facilitating organizing efforts.
European Ubisoft studios already have different labor protections thanks to stronger European employment laws and more established union traditions. French labor law, in particular, provides extensive worker protections that exceed what Canadian or American unions typically secure. The Ubisoft Paris strike in 2023 demonstrated French workers’ willingness to use collective action. Halifax’s success may inspire additional organizing in regions where union density remains low.
Frequently Asked Questions
When did Ubisoft Halifax workers unionize?
The Nova Scotia Labour Board certified the union on December 18, 2024, after 74% of workers voted yes in a secret ballot. Workers initially filed for union recognition six months earlier in June 2024.
How many workers are in the Ubisoft Halifax union?
Approximately 60 workers are included in the bargaining unit, covering producers, programmers, designers, artists, researchers, and development testers. This represents a wall-to-wall union including multiple departments rather than just a single job category.
Which union do Ubisoft Halifax workers belong to?
They joined the Game & Media Workers Guild of Canada, Local 30111, which is part of CWA Canada (Communications Workers of America Canada). The same local represents nearly 120 game workers at Bethesda Game Studios Montreal.
Is this the first Ubisoft union ever?
It’s the first successful Ubisoft union in North America. There was a failed unionization attempt at Longtail Studios (a Ubisoft-owned Quebec studio) in 2008 that was crushed by management. European Ubisoft studios have different labor structures due to regional employment laws.
Why did Ubisoft Halifax workers unionize?
Workers cited industry-wide instability, mass layoffs, and studio closures as primary motivations. They emphasized organizing proactively to protect existing good working conditions rather than reacting to a crisis. The goal is to have a collective voice in decisions affecting their jobs and careers.
Did Ubisoft fight the union?
Ubisoft did not wage an aggressive anti-union campaign like some companies. While they didn’t voluntarily recognize the union, the company maintained relatively neutral public statements. The 74% yes vote suggests workers didn’t face severe intimidation tactics.
What games does Ubisoft Halifax work on?
Ubisoft Halifax, founded in 2010 and acquired by Ubisoft in 2015, has contributed to titles including Rainbow Six Mobile and Assassin’s Creed Rebellion. The studio typically works on mobile adaptations and support for larger Ubisoft franchises.
What happens now that the union is certified?
The union and Ubisoft management will begin contract negotiations. This process typically takes months and will address wages, benefits, working conditions, job security, and other workplace issues. The union’s bargaining committee will represent worker interests at the negotiating table.
The Future of Gaming Labor
Ubisoft Halifax’s successful unionization won’t be the last. The industry-wide instability that motivated these workers affects developers everywhere. As layoffs continue, studio closures mount, and AI threatens jobs, more game developers will conclude that collective bargaining offers the only reliable protection.
The question isn’t whether more studios will unionize, but how quickly the movement spreads. Direct-join industry-wide unions like United Videogame Workers – CWA lower barriers to organization by allowing workers to join without convincing their entire workplace. Traditional single-studio unions like Ubisoft Halifax provide concrete workplace improvements through collective bargaining. Both models will likely coexist, giving workers multiple paths to organized representation.
For publishers, the smart play is accepting unionization as inevitable and working constructively with organized workers. Microsoft’s labor neutrality agreement demonstrated that cooperating with unions doesn’t destroy companies. Activision Blizzard continues operating profitably with multiple unionized studios. Bethesda Game Studios released Starfield while unionized and has more projects in development.
The Ubisoft Halifax certification proves that even at a company with a history of crushing union attempts, workers can successfully organize if they build solidarity and persist through the certification process. That success will inspire game developers at other studios who’ve been watching and waiting. The next year will likely see more union certifications, more contract ratifications, and more evidence that collective bargaining works in gaming.
For the 60 workers at Ubisoft Halifax, December 18, 2024 marks a beginning rather than an ending. Now comes the hard work of negotiating a strong first contract, proving the union delivers real benefits, and setting an example for the rest of Ubisoft and the broader industry. If they succeed, they’ll have helped transform labor relations in gaming forever. That’s a legacy worth fighting for.