State of the Unions: Growing Unionisation in Game Development Studios

Over the past ten years, the emergence of trade unions within the video‑game sector has moved from a niche curiosity to a central conversation. As more developers, artists, programmers, and support staff encounter demanding schedules, unstable contracts, and management oversights, they are increasingly turning to collective representation to safeguard their rights. The speed at which game‑specific unions have been created is striking.

In just a handful of years, dozens of organisations have sprung up, and they have already shown tangible benefits for their members. For example, SAG‑AFTRA launched a strike to demand higher wages and safeguards against the misuse of artificial‑intelligence tools for voice‑over work in games. Workers at ZeniMax staged walk‑outs over disputes concerning remote‑work policies and the outsourcing of tasks.

Similarly, coordinated protests have taken place outside the headquarters of major publishers such as Rockstar Games, Activision, Ubisoft, Bethesda, Riot Games, and Build A Rocket Boy, among others. The momentum shows no sign of waning. In fact, collaborating effectively with unions is becoming a critical competency for studios.

This very issue will be examined in depth at the upcoming HR Summit on 1 October, underscoring how union engagement has shifted from a theoretical debate to an operational reality. "When Game Workers Unite began eight years ago, unions were virtually absent from the industry," explains Austin Kelmore, co‑founder of the IWGB Game Workers and Game Worker Solidarity. "Today, workers are organised in more than 130 distinct groups across over 15 countries, securing real improvements in their workplaces. The question has moved from ‘Should we unionise?’ to ‘Which group will be the next to unionise?’" Kelmore adds that the progress has been rapid: "We are making our voices heard and winning big.

Full unionisation of the entire industry is still a long‑term goal, but the gains we have achieved in such a short span are remarkable." In France, union activity is becoming the norm in Ubisoft’s studios. Marc Rutschlé, a representative of Solidaires Informatique at Ubisoft Paris, notes that five years ago there were no unions represented on the company’s Comité Social et Economique (CSE).

Today, unions are present in almost every French Ubisoft location, with some sites hosting multiple unions—a standard situation for a French corporation. "This signals a mature social dialogue within Ubisoft," he says.

However, he warns that the broader French game‑development landscape is in crisis, with many major studios facing bankruptcy or laying off staff, leaving the future uncertain. Poland offers another perspective. The Polish Gamedev Workers Union, launched only two years ago under the umbrella of the nationwide grassroots organisation The Workers Initiative, now has formal recognition in ten Polish studios, while the remaining members work for smaller firms.

Union member Artur Ganszyniec points out a major hurdle: the legal framework governing trade unions in Poland is outdated, crafted in the 1980s for heavy industry, and it does not reflect the realities of creative or remote work. "The legislation favours employers and severely limits union influence," he explains. Despite these obstacles, the Polish union has already provided essential services: representing employees during lay‑offs, offering legal assistance, navigating complex Polish labour law, negotiating workplace standards, and creating an informal support network for members.

Across the globe, unions have secured a variety of wins for game‑industry workers. Kelmore lists achievements such as four‑day work weeks, salary raises, hybrid and fully remote work options, AI‑related protections, contractual bonuses, six‑hour work days, and more. Unions have also helped curb mass layoffs, combat harassment, and win multi‑million‑dollar settlements for mistreated staff.

"My own manager tried to discipline me, and I successfully had the action dismissed," Kelmore recounts. "Together with colleagues we negotiated better redundancy terms for those affected and for those who stayed." Beyond material gains, union members report a profound shift in mindset. "When you experience collective power firsthand, you never forget it," Kelmore says.

"That empowerment fuels further advocacy both inside and outside the workplace." Unions are also reshaping employer behaviour. Early on, much of the union effort involved educating company leaders about legal obligations, forcing them to adopt proper disciplinary, grievance, and redundancy procedures, to accommodate disabilities and neuro‑diverse staff as required by law, and to recognise that workers often know the law better than management.

As unions grow, they can apply pressure from the top down. Kelmore cites Microsoft’s recent agreement with the Communication Workers of America (CWA) for 1,900 Blizzard employees, which delivered hybrid‑work options, AI safeguards, recall rights after layoffs, severance above industry norms, and wage increases of up to 34 %.

Rutschlé highlights AI protections as a particularly urgent issue, calling AI "the biggest enemy of video games right now"—not only because of creative concerns but also due to the massive investment influx that threatens studio stability. He argues that unions provide a counter‑narrative to corporate messaging that often downplays problems.

"When HR tells you everything is fine, that's usually far from the truth. Unions are the people you turn to when things go wrong." Looking ahead, several challenges remain.

In Poland, for instance, the default employment model protected by labour law is increasingly being replaced by civil contracts. Roughly 40 % of Polish developers now operate as "one‑person companies" supplying services to studios, gaining slightly higher pay but forfeiting basic employee protections such as paid sick leave and notice periods.

Ganszyniec warns that such arrangements skirt legality and are difficult to contest in court, prompting the union to educate both workers and employers about the risks. Historical scepticism toward trade unions in Poland also hampers growth, with some companies spending substantial sums on legal battles to stall union cooperation, discouraging workers from joining. Rutschlé notes that, despite early victories, many game‑workers still fear retaliation from management. Kelmore observes that misconceptions persist about whether organising is beneficial or harmful; in reality, unions are neutral structures that can be shaped by their members.

"Unions are collections of people, and people are messy. Decisions can be flawed, conflicts arise, and learning happens. I support unions not because they are inherently good, but because they amplify the voice of ordinary working people.

They are always a work in progress," Kelmore says. With unions now established across many regions and more forming, representatives agree that coordinated action can dramatically improve worker protection.

Ganszyniec argues that legal and economic systems in any industry, including game development, heavily favour companies, making collective organisation essential to create a counterbalance. He stresses that the tacit knowledge held by developers—how games are built, the nuances of production—must be preserved. To do so, the industry needs better working conditions, fair salaries, strategies for handling layoffs, platforms for knowledge sharing, and support networks that keep seasoned developers in the field and help them mentor newcomers.

Kelmore adds that cross‑union knowledge exchange accelerates progress. He has taken training from unions outside his own affiliation, shared detailed documentation, and participated in worldwide conferences where unions from the United States, Canada, France, and the United Kingdom coordinated protests and campaigns.

"What we do for each other matters and builds us all up," he affirms. Rutschlé concludes that whether acting alone or in collaboration, unions that secure healthier workplaces benefit the entire industry.

Reduced turnover, a broader talent pool beyond the stereotypical young, cis‑white male engineer, and a more diverse, experienced workforce all translate into higher‑quality games. The GamesIndustry.biz HR Summit, returning to London on 1 October with a focus on People & Leadership, will feature two dedicated sessions offering guidance and best practices for HR and people professionals on constructive engagement with trade unions. Tickets are available through the event’s website.