The gaming industry is seeing a significant shift as 165 employees at id Software, known for their iconic Doom and Quake series, have chosen to unionize. This move is part of a growing trend within Microsoft, which owns the studio, where multiple developer unions have been established.
Empowering Voices at id Software
The newly formed union includes various professionals such as developers, artists, and programmers. Microsoft has officially recognized the union, staying true to its commitment to a neutral stance on unionization and agreeing to acknowledge any unions that are formed. Union members have voiced their concerns, which focus on the overall uncertainty in the gaming industry and the importance of remote work flexibility.
“I’m very proud to be a part of this effort to organize our studio, to have a voice in decisions that directly affect myself and my coworkers,” stated Caroline Pierrot, a senior VFX artist and organizing committee member. “In an industry that has proven to be very unstable over the last few years, more unions means more power to the workers and a real shot at shaping the future of the industry for the better.”
Microsoft’s Expanding Union Landscape
This development at id Software is part of a broader wave of unionization across Microsoft’s gaming studios. Activision Blizzard, a recent acquisition, has seen several of its teams unionize, including Diablo developers in August and Blizzard’s story and franchise development team. The entire World of Warcraft team formed a union last year, and the Overwatch developers joined in May of this year. Meanwhile, Raven Software and Zenimax QA workers have successfully negotiated contracts, while Bethesda’s union remains in negotiations. This movement highlights a growing trend where game industry employees are striving for more control and security in their careers.