Another Blizzard Team Joins the Fight for a Better Workplace
The dominoes continue to fall at Blizzard Entertainment. In a major victory for labor organization in the video game industry, the developers responsible for the hugely popular digital card game Hearthstone and the mobile strategy title Warcraft Rumble have successfully formed a union. This is not just a small team; it’s a wall-to-wall unit of over 100 workers, including software engineers, artists, designers, producers, and QA testers, who have voted to join the Communications Workers of America (CWA).
This move is the latest in a powerful wave of organizing efforts across Blizzard’s various departments. It signals a clear and growing demand from developers for a greater say in their working conditions, job security, and the future of the games they create.
Why Are They Organizing? A Call for Stability and Respect
The reasons behind the union drive are a familiar story in the often-volatile games industry. Workers are seeking to address long-standing issues that have become impossible to ignore. According to statements from organizing committee members, their primary goals are to challenge instability and what they describe as unfair conditions.
Key motivations for the new union include:
- Layoff Protections: After enduring multiple rounds of layoffs that have impacted their teams, workers are demanding more say in these massive decisions. Senior 2D artist Uriah Voth mentioned experiencing a traumatic “every six month cadence” of layoffs and wanting protections like improved severance and recall rights.
- A Collective Voice: Many feel that individual concerns have been ignored by the company for years. Game designer Dominic Calkosz stated, “We chose to organize in pursuit of a collective voice and a force of solidarity that the industry cannot ignore.”
- Fair Compensation and Conditions: Workers are pushing back against the “passion tax,” where the prestige of working at a dream company like Blizzard is used to justify being overworked and underpaid. They are seeking real solutions to reduce wage gaps and provide better support for remote workers.
The successful unionization efforts of the World of Warcraft, Diablo, and Overwatch teams served as a major inspiration, showing the Hearthstone team that a path forward was possible.
A Critical Deadline and the Microsoft Factor
This union drive happened at a critical moment. A major motivator was the looming expiration of the neutrality agreement between Microsoft and the CWA. This agreement, signed in 2022 to help smooth the massive $68.7 billion acquisition of Activision Blizzard, prevented Microsoft from interfering with union organizing efforts. That agreement expired in October 2025.
The impending deadline created a sense of urgency, pushing the team to finalize their union vote while the protections were still in place. Now that the deal is long settled, there is uncertainty about whether Microsoft will continue its hands-off approach, potentially making it more difficult for other teams to organize in the future. In a positive sign, Microsoft has officially recognized the new union.
With this latest addition, the number of Blizzard employees represented by the CWA has grown to over 1,900, marking a significant shift in the power dynamics within one of the world’s most famous game studios.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Which Blizzard teams just formed a union?
The developers working on Hearthstone and Warcraft Rumble have formed a union with the Communications Workers of America (CWA).
Why did the developers unionize?
Their main goals are to secure layoff protections, gain a collective voice to address concerns with management, fight for fair pay and working conditions, and challenge the instability within the industry.
Has Microsoft recognized the union?
Yes, Microsoft, Blizzard’s parent company, has officially recognized the new union formed by the Hearthstone and Warcraft Rumble teams.
How many Blizzard workers are in a union now?
Following this latest effort, over 1,900 workers across various Blizzard departments, including those for World of Warcraft, Diablo, Overwatch, and Battle.net, are now represented by the CWA.
What was the Microsoft neutrality agreement?
It was an agreement where Microsoft pledged not to interfere with union organizing efforts at Activision Blizzard studios. It expired in October 2025, and its expiration created urgency for the latest union drive.
What is the Communications Workers of America (CWA)?
The CWA is a large labor union in North America that has been instrumental in helping organize workers across the tech and video game industries, including at multiple Microsoft and Activision Blizzard studios.
Conclusion: The Movement is Gaining Momentum
The successful unionization of the Hearthstone and Warcraft Rumble teams is a powerful statement. It demonstrates that the movement for workers’ rights in the triple-A gaming space is not slowing down; it’s accelerating. By standing together, these developers are not just fighting for their own futures but are also paving the way for a more stable, fair, and sustainable industry for everyone. As they prepare to bargain for their first contract, the entire gaming world will be watching to see what this new era of collective power will bring.