The emergence of labour unions within the video‑game sector has become one of the most talked‑about developments of the last ten years. As more developers, artists, writers and support staff confront demanding schedules, insecure contracts and managerial indifference, they are turning to collective bargaining to safeguard their rights and improve working conditions worldwide. In a remarkably short span, a wave of game‑specific unions has been created, and these organisations have already shown tangible benefits for their members.
For instance, SAG‑AFTRA organised a strike that secured higher wages and explicit AI‑use protections for voice actors in interactive media. Employees at ZeniMax staged walk‑outs over disputes concerning remote‑work policies and the outsourcing of core functions. Similarly, union‑led demonstrations 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 fading, and the ability to work constructively with unions is now a strategic priority for many studios. The topic will be examined in depth at the upcoming HR Summit on 1 October, underscoring how union dialogue has shifted from a fringe idea to a mainstream business consideration after years of near‑silence on the subject. "When Game Workers Unite launched eight years ago, there were virtually no unions or game‑workers in unions," explains Austin Kelmore, co‑founder of the IWGB Game Workers and Game Worker Solidarity.
"Since then, more than 130 distinct groups and unions across over 15 countries have organised and secured real improvements in their workplaces. The conversation has moved from ‘Should the games industry unionise?’ to ‘Which workers will unionise next?’" Kelmore adds that the sector has made “an incredible amount of progress in a relatively small amount of time,” even though a fully unionised industry remains a work in progress.
Marc Rutschlé, a representative of Solidaires Informatique at Ubisoft Paris, observes a similar trend in France: "Five years ago there were no unions inside the Comité Social et Economique (the workers’ council). Today unions are present in almost every Ubisoft entity in France, and many sites host several unions. This is standard for a French company and signals a maturing social dialogue." Rutschlé also warns that the broader French game‑development landscape is under severe strain: "Almost every major studio is either bankrupt or planning layoffs.
It is difficult to predict what will happen in the next one or two years." In Poland, the Gamedev Workers Union was founded only two years ago as a branch of the nationwide grassroots organisation The Workers Initiative. Member Artur Ganszyniec notes that the union is formally recognised in ten Polish studios, representing roughly half of its membership; the remainder work for smaller independent firms. He points out a structural obstacle: "Polish trade‑union law dates back to the 1980s and was written for heavy industry, not for creative or remote work. The legislation favours employers and severely limits union influence." Despite these legal hurdles, the Polish union has already provided crucial services: representing staff during layoffs, offering legal assistance, navigating the intricacies of Polish labour law, negotiating workplace policies, and creating an informal support network for members.
Kelmore summarises the breadth of recent union victories worldwide: four‑day work weeks, salary raises, hybrid and fully remote arrangements, AI‑usage safeguards, contractual bonuses, six‑hour work days, reduced layoff numbers, anti‑harassment measures and multimillion‑dollar settlements for mistreated employees. He recounts a personal anecdote: "My own boss tried to discipline me, and I was able to get the action dismissed.
Together with colleagues we secured better redundancy terms for those affected and for those who stayed." Beyond material gains, union members report a profound shift in mindset. "Once people experience the power of collective action, they never forget it.
That empowerment fuels further pushes for change both inside and outside the workplace," Kelmore says. Unions are also reshaping employer behaviour. Kelmore explains that early casework often involved educating company leaders about legal obligations: "We taught executives how to follow proper disciplinary, grievance and redundancy procedures, how to accommodate disabilities and neuro‑diverse staff as required by law, and that workers often know the law better than management." As unions grow, they can apply pressure at the highest levels. Kelmore cites Microsoft’s recent agreement with the Communications Workers of America (CWA) for 1,900 Blizzard employees, which includes hybrid‑work options, AI protections, recall rights after layoffs, severance above industry norms and wage increases of up to 34 %.
"Company executives are learning that the more power workers build, the more they have to concede if they want the work done," he notes. Rutschlé highlights AI protections as a particularly urgent issue, describing AI as "the biggest enemy of video games right now" because rapid investment in AI has diverted capital away from studios, contributing to closures. He adds, "Unions provide a counter‑point to corporate messaging.
When HR tells you everything is fine, it’s often far from the truth. Unions are the people you turn to when something goes wrong." Looking forward, several challenges remain. In Poland, Ganszyniec warns that the default employment model protected by labour law is increasingly being replaced by civil‑contract arrangements. Roughly 40 % of Polish developers now operate as one‑person companies, earning slightly more but forfeiting benefits such as paid sick leave, notice periods and unemployment protection.
"These arrangements often skirt legality, but proving violations in court is difficult, so we focus on education for both developers and studios," he says. He also notes cultural resistance: "Historically, trade unions have never been popular in Poland, and many companies spend large sums on legal fees to sue unions and stall cooperation, which discourages membership." Rutschlé observes that, despite early wins, many game workers still fear retaliation from management. Kelmore adds that misconceptions persist about whether organising is beneficial or harmful; in reality, unions are neutral structures that depend on how members use them.
"Unions are an organisational container filled with messy, complicated people. They make mistakes, have conflicts, learn and grow. I support unions not because they are inherently good, but because I believe in the value of everyday working people.
They are always a work in progress," Kelmore asserts. With dozens of unions now operating across the industry and more on the horizon, representatives agree that coordinated action can amplify protection for workers. Ganszyniec argues, "Legal and economic systems in any industry, including game development, heavily favour companies. Employees need to organise to create a counterbalance." He stresses the need to preserve industry knowledge: "Most of the tacit expertise about how games are made resides with specialists.
Protecting that knowledge means improving working conditions, addressing layoffs, providing platforms for knowledge sharing and building support networks that keep experienced developers in the field and help them mentor juniors." Kelmore echoes the importance of cross‑union collaboration: "Sharing knowledge and experience across borders helps us win faster. I’ve taken training from unions outside my own, exchanged detailed documents, and participated in worldwide conferences where unions from the US, Canada, France and the UK protest together. What we do for each other builds collective strength." Rutschlé concludes that healthier working conditions—whether achieved alone or through joint union efforts—benefit the entire sector: "Better conditions reduce turnover, attract a more diverse talent pool beyond the stereotypical young white male engineer, and ultimately lead to more experienced, varied teams that create better games." The GamesIndustry.biz HR Summit, returning to London on 1 October with a focus on People & Leadership, will feature two dedicated sessions on how HR and people professionals can engage productively with trade unions. Tickets are available through the event website.