Workers at The Uncommons board game cafe in New York walked out over the refusal of management to negotiate.
#OtD 5 Mar 2025 Workers at The Uncommons board game cafe in New York walk out. https://www.gameworkersolidarity.com/action/2025-03-workers-uncommons-board-game-cafe-new-york-walk-out
Kotaku workers, alongside workers from Gizmodo, Jezebel, Lifehacker, Jalopnik and The Root are on strike. They're asking for better pay, more flexible remote work, better family leave, and increased benefits for trans and gender-expansive workers.
#OtD 1 Mar 2022 workers at Kotaku, alongside workers from Gizmodo, Jezebel, Lifehacker, Jalopnik and The Root went on strike as part of GMG Union. https://www.gameworkersolidarity.com/action/2022-03-kotaku-workers-strike
STJV workers from Plug In Digital created a union section, a public legal body giving workers representation and communication power at the company.
#OtD 28 Feb 2022 in France, workers at Plug In Digital publicly form a union section with STJV (Syndicat des Travailleurs et Travailleuses du Jeu Vidéo). https://www.gameworkersolidarity.com/action/2022-02-stjv-publicly-forms-union-section-plug-in-digital
The Polish Gamedev Workers Union has started organising at Ten Square Games, a mobile game developer known for games like Let's Fish, Fishing Clash, and Wild Hunt. The union reports having over 300 workers unionised across Poland so far.
#OtD 26 Feb 2025 Polish Gamedev Workers Union officially at Ten Square Games. https://www.gameworkersolidarity.com/action/2025-02-polish-gamedev-workers-union-officially-ten-square-games
The IGN Creators Guilds was voluntarily recognised by IGN, starting the process of union negotiations
#OtD 22 Feb 2024 IGN Creators Guild voluntarily recongised https://www.gameworkersolidarity.com/action/2024-02-ign-creators-guild-voluntarily-recognised
Workers in the US at eleven Future plc publications (including PC Gamer and GamesRadar) announced with an open letter that they intend to unionise with the Writers Guild of America. They want to start contract negotiations on fair compensation, severance packages, editorial protections, diversity, and transparency.
#OtD 22 Feb 2020 workers at Future in the Future Union, which include PC Gamer and GamesRadar workers, launched a union campaign with Writers Guild of America. https://www.gameworkersolidarity.com/action/2020-02-us-future-workers-launch-campaign-with-writers-guild-of-america
Workers at Flying Wild Hog have unionsed with the Polish Gamedev Workers Union. The studio, which is owned by Embracer, mades games like Shadow Warrior and Space Punks.
#OtD 15 Feb 2024 Workers at Flying Wild Hog unionise https://www.gameworkersolidarity.com/action/2024-02-workers-flying-hog-unionise
Following the general strike in the games industry in France the previous day, STJV launched a Grève (Strike) Bundle on Itch.io to raise strike funds.
#OtD 14 Feb 2025 STJV puts together Grève Bundle to support striking workers. https://www.gameworkersolidarity.com/action/2025-02-stjv-puts-together-greve-bundle-support-striking-workers
Negotiations between the FIECI CFE-CGC, Solidaires Informatique, and Le Syndicat des Travailleurs et Travailleuses du Jeu Vidéo (SJTV) and Ubisoft in France broke down over wages. Despite improved earnings for the company, the offered raises (2-3%) were lower than the rate of inflation for the second year running. The strike was first called for the 1st of February, but after further negotiations, the walkout took place on the 14th of February. Over 700 workers took part, making it the largest strike in the history of the games industry so far
#OtD 14 Feb 2024 Game workers strike over wages at Ubisoft in France https://www.gameworkersolidarity.com/action/2024-02-game-workers-strike-wages-ubisoft-france
Workers at Eugen systems went on strike over violations of their rights by management. The strike involved 21 out of the 44 workers at the studio and was supported by the STJV union. Workers claim that Eugen Systems were not meeting contractual and collectively bargained obligations, refusing overtime pay, paying wages late, and that their gross wages below French minimum wage requirements. The strike ended on the 3rd of April 2018.
#OtD 14 Feb 2018 workers at Eugen Systems in the STJV union go on strike for 48 days. https://www.gameworkersolidarity.com/action/2018-02-eugen-systems-workers-strike
French game workers organising with STJV called a general strike in the video games industry. They organised rallies in Paris, Lyon, Montpellier, Annecy, Angoulême, Bordeaux, Lille, Nantes. Over a thousand workers took part, out of an estimated 12-15,000 workers in France. Workers at Ubisoft’s Barcelona studio also took part.
#OtD 13 Feb 2025 French game workers organise general strike. https://www.gameworkersolidarity.com/action/2025-02-french-game-workers-organise-general-strike
The Gameworkers website was launched by four unions that have been organising in the games industry in Denmark. This includes HK Privat, FAF: Creative Professionals, PROSA: Association of IT Professionals in DK, and DM: Danish Association of Masters and PhDs. It provides information about rights at work and a way to join the different unions.
#OtD 8 Feb 2024 Launch of joint union initiative Gameworkers in Denmark https://www.gameworkersolidarity.com/action/2024-02-launch-joint-union-initiative-gameworkers-denmark
Anthony, a game worker in Australia, was supported by Professionals Australia (the union Game Workers Australia is in) in a legal case to be recognised as an employee rather than an independent contractor. He was awarded almost $13,000 in underpayments and $3,000 in unpaid superannuation. As Anthony explained: “I was so grateful to be part of a union and have Professionals Australia representing me. Having someone on my side who not only understands the legalities but also cares about my claim was amazing. I hope my case will help other employees feel confident to take action.”
#OtD 8 Feb 2023 Game worker in Australia wins $13,000 over employee claim https://www.gameworkersolidarity.com/action/2023-02-game-worker-australia-wins-employee-claim
Workers at Blizzard Spain unionised with CSVI (Coordinadora Sindical del Videojuego) as part of the CGT union. They are organising to improve their working conditions.
#OtD 7 Feb 2025 Workers form union at Blizzard Spain. https://www.gameworkersolidarity.com/action/2025-02-workers-form-union-blizzard-pain
Workers organising with the union Starting Point negotiated a 6.8% pay rise. This is the first time a South Korean game company has made public its wage hike rate.
#OtD 7 Feb 2020 union workers at Nexon Korea successfully negotiate a 6.8% pay rise. https://www.gameworkersolidarity.com/action/2020-02-nexon-korea-agrees-to-pay-rise-after-union-negotiation
Game Makers of Finland joined the national walk out organised by Akava on the 6th of February. The walk out was a political protest organised against the Finish government's proposed changes to working-life measures, including changes to foreign employees residence permits, reducing sick pay, and making dismissals easier.
#OtD 6 Feb 2024 Game Makers of Finland join national walk out. https://www.gameworkersolidarity.com/action/2024-02-game-makers-finland-join-national-walk-out
Workers involved in the creative teams at IGN requested voluntary recognition with the News Guild alongside their colleagues at the Ziff Davis Creators Guild and other online media companies. Management refused their request and workers launched the IGN Creators Guild with a public petition.
#OtD 6 Feb 2024 Workers in the creative teams at IGN requested voluntary recognition with the News Guild and launched the IGN Creators Guild https://www.gameworkersolidarity.com/action/2024-02-launch-ign-creators-guild
SAG-AFTRA held a demonstration of 500 people in Los Angeles as part of the ongoing videogame voice actors strike. The rally began at SAG-AFTRA Plaza and continued at the nearby La Brea Tar Pits, marking the two-year anniversary of the bargaining process on the interactive contract. SAG-AFTRA Interactive Negotiating Committee Chair Keythe Farley said, “I can't believe we're still fighting for this contract two years later. I thought we'd be done by lunch on day one. I figured we were all eager to update the substandard, 20-year-old contract that we’ve been operating under and start fresh with a modern, industry-standard agreement that protects, and fairly compensates, performers working on today’s video games. The one thing that keeps me going is our members' dedication and commitment to a fair contract. It's the same dedication they bring to their performances, so I guess it's no surprise, really."
#OtD 2 Feb 2017 SAG-AFTRA, the US union for voice actors, holds a demonstration in Los Angeles during a strike two years into the bargaining process. https://www.gameworkersolidarity.com/action/2017-02-sag-aftra-holds-demonstration-during-strike
The AFL-CIO submitted shareholder proposals asking Activision Blizzard and Electronic Arts to adopt a “Diverse Candidate Search Policy”, ensuring that women and people of color candidates are considered during recruitment. This was an attempt to improve workforce diversity in the games industry, building on the “Rooney Rule” used in the National Football League. Lawyers from Activision Blizzard rejected the proposal.
#OtD 27 Jan 2021 the AFL-CIO submitted shareholder proposals requesting that Activision Blizzard and EA implement diverse hiring practices. https://www.gameworkersolidarity.com/action/2021-01-afl-cio-submit-shareholder-proposal-to-blizzard-activision
More than 280 workers in the TCGPlayer authentication center which is part of eBay, form a union with CWA and request recognition. They previously tried to form a union almost 3 years ago with SEIU but withdrew their application.
#OtD 25 Jan 2023 TCGplayer authentication center workers form a union with CODE-CWA (Communication Workers of America) and request recognition from eBay. https://www.gameworkersolidarity.com/action/2023-01-tcgplayer-authentication-workers-form-union-with-cwa
34 quality assurance Raven Software workers form a new union and ask management for recognition. This is following a strike from workers at Raven Software and Activision Blizzard, the parent company, when management laid off 12 workers.
#OtD 21 Jan 2022 Raven Software QA workers form a union with the Communication Workers of America and ask for recognition from Activision Blizzard. https://www.gameworkersolidarity.com/action/2022-01-raven-software-workers-form-union
Workers at Spider studio in France went on a one-day strike, demanding that the company negotiate with them. The studio, which makes Greedfall 2, was refusing to discuss long running issues.
#OtD 19 Jan 2024 workers at Spider studio in France went on a one-day strike, demanding that the company negotiate with them. The studio, which makes Greedfall 2, was refusing to discuss long running issues. https://www.gameworkersolidarity.com/action/2024-01-workers-spiders-studio-strike
CSVI (Coordinadora Sindical del Videojuego - Videogame Union Coordinator) launched in Spain. The union is part of the CGT (Confederación General del Trabajo - General Confederation of Labor) union federation. In the launch they explain they were created to defend the rights of video game workers. Affiliates of CGT in any part of spain can participate.
#OtD 15 Jan 2024 CSVI (Coordinadora Sindical del Videojuego - Videogame Union Coordinator) launched in Spain https://www.gameworkersolidarity.com/action/2024-01-launch-csvi-union-video-game-workers-spain
Worker in Italy formed a branch of Game Workers Unite.
#OtD 11 Jan 2019 Game Workers Unite Italy launches. https://www.gameworkersolidarity.com/action/2019-01-launch-game-workers-unite-italy
Atari announced in December of 1984 that it would end its operation in Limerick and sack hundreds of workers. They proposed moving the factory to Taiwan. In response, Atari workers occupied the factory in January 1985, withholding stock and machinery as part of their protest. They demanded increased redundancy settlements. At the time, a worker explained to RTÉ News that she wanted: “to highlight the whole situation, the way we’ve been treated and in the hope that even if we don’t gain anything from it that other workers will see the stand that we’re taking.”
#OtD 7 Jan 1985 Atari workers strike and occupy a factory in Limerick. https://www.gameworkersolidarity.com/action/1985-01-atari-limerick-occupation
The CWA (Communication Workers of America) launched a new initiative to unionise game and tech workers. The campaign hired two organisers, Emma Kinema and Wes McEnany, to provide support for workers to unionise. Emma previously co-founded Game Workers Unite and organised with workers in the Southern California chapters.
#OtD 7 Jan 2020 the Communication Workers of America launches CODE_CWA - the Campaign to Organize Digital Employees. https://www.gameworkersolidarity.com/action/2020-01-launch-code-cwa
Workers at a Foxconn factory in Wuhan that assemble Xbox video game consoles protest over a job dispute. Estimates ranged from 80 to 200 workers involved in the strike. Foxconn announced it was close the production line for Microsoft’s Xbox 360 console and transfer some workers to other roles, but then reneged on paying severance to other workers. Workers climbed onto the roof of a factory dormitory, with some threatening to jump to their deaths. This follows collective actions in factories that produce technology for other companies, including Apple.
#OtD 3 Jan 2012 workers at a Foxconn factory that make Xbox consoles go on strike. https://www.gameworkersolidarity.com/action/2021-01-foxconn-factory-workers-strike
Workers at Toca Boca in Sweden negotiated a collective bargaining agreement. One of the improvements was the removal of the rule of that first day of sickness was unpaid. The local branch was formed in 2017 and has a health and safety officer.
#OtD 1 Jan 2017 Toca Boca workers win sick pay rights from day one https://www.gameworkersolidarity.com/action/2017-01-toca-boca-workers-win-sick-pay-rights-day-one
Proletariat Studio form a union of 57 workers with CWA and request recognition from Activision Blizzard. This makes them the third unit to request recognition at Activision Blizzard after Raven QA and Albany QA.
#OtD 27 Dec 2022 Proletariat workers at Activision Blizzard form union and request recognition https://www.gameworkersolidarity.com/action/2022-12-proletariat-workers-form-union-request-recognition
A class action lawsuit was filed against Riot Games over gender discrimination. The ruling ordered Riot to pay out $100 million collectively to every woman employee or contractor working with the company over the past five years. At least 2300 workers are eligible for receiving money from the payout.
#OtD 27 Dec 2021 Riot Games was ordered to pay out $100 million in settlement over gender discrimination. https://www.gameworkersolidarity.com/action/2021-12-riot-games-ordered-to-pay-100-million
