More than 200 developers working on Overwatch at Activision Blizzard have voted to form a union

Activision Blizzard's Overwatch 2 development team, comprising over 200 members, has opted to form a union.

The Communications Workers of America (CWA), in a recent statement, introduced its new branch, the Overwatch Gamemakers Guild-CWA (OWGG-CWA). This unit represents employees across various sectors, including design, engineering, and quality assurance, indicating a widespread approval for union formation among the team.

CWA Local 9510's President, Jason Justice, commented, “California remains a central location for video game labor movements. We eagerly welcome Overwatch developers to CWA, joining peers from World of Warcraft and SEGA of America.”

He further added, “Unity among workers enables us to shape a better future collectively.”

Frank Le Cocq, a visual effects artist and part of the organizing committee, noted that industry-wide layoffs, including those at his studio, initially drove him to explore organizational strategies for improving workplace conditions.

“Our unionizing journey gained strength knowing that our colleagues from World of Warcraft had successfully navigated this process,” Le Cocq stated.

This unionization step comes after Activision's user research employees unionized in March, with CWA confirming strong support for union representation among these Microsoft-owned staff.

OWGG-CWA is now recognized by Microsoft, marking over 2,600 employees from Microsoft-controlled studios who have organized under the company's innovative neutrality pact with CWA.