A new union has been formed within Blizzard. Following 450 members of the Diablo development team unionizing back in August, over 100 workers from the development teams of Hearthstone and Warcraft Rumble have voted strongly in favor of wall-to-wall union representation with the Communication Workers of America (CWA). The workers are members of CWA Local 9510 in Irvine, CA. Microsoft has recognized the union.

Hearthstone and Warcraft Rumble developers unionize to combat ‘instability and unfair conditions’ https://t.co/exX0G7pn7x

— Game Developer (@gamedevdotcom) October 17, 2025

The new union includes software engineers, designers, artists, quality assurance testers, and producers, and builds off the unprecedented organizing momentum across Blizzard departments and studios, with over 1900 Blizzard workers joining CWA, including Platform & Technology, Story and Franchise Development, Diablo, and Overwatch. The union also note how they were inspired by the World of Warcraft organizing efforts last July.

“My coworkers, as individuals, have voiced many concerns over the years, but it is easy for any company to ignore individuals,” said organizing committee member and game designer Dominic Calkosz. “We chose to organize in pursuit of a collective voice and a force of solidarity that the industry cannot ignore.”

Organizing committee member and senior 2D artist Uriah Voth said, “Whether we are fighting for layoff protections, security for our remote workers, or reduced wage gaps, the pressures we face are making it harder to create the high-quality work we care about. Organizing gives us the opportunity to empower ourselves and challenge the instability and unfair conditions that undermine us.

“I support our union because we deserve to be heard and respected,” organizing committee member and QA test analyst Carol Blean said. “Real solutions, not free therapy or relocation suggestions, are needed to address being overworked, underpaid, and forced into unreasonable choices.

CWA President Claude Cummings Jr. met with video game and tech workers at the Blizzard campus in Irvine, Calif., to celebrate the growing wave of organizing across the industry. Workers from other bargaining units at Activision Blizzard and Microsoft studios joined the World of Warcraft Bargaining Committee for a solidarity walk as contract negotiations continued.

“The Hearthstone team’s organizing effort is proof that creativity and collective power can go hand-in-hand,”said CWA Local 9510 President Jason Justice. “These are some of the most talented developers and artists in the industry, and their decision to form a union sends a clear message that building great games starts with respecting those who are behind them.”