Blizzard developers working on Hearthstone and Warcraft Rumble have formed a new union, the latest in a series of labor wins at the Microsoft-owned studio. The over 100-person unit is represented by the Communication Workers of America (CWA), and counts “software engineers, designers, artists, quality assurance testers and producers” among its members.
Inspiration to form the new union came from the successful organizing efforts of Blizzard’s World of Warcraft workers last year. The staff behind the classic MMO formed the Warcraft Gamemakers Guild last year, and were followed by similar unions representing developers working on Diablo and Overwatch earlier in 2025. According to the CWA, over 1,900 workers at Blizzard are now represented by the organization.
The new union is arriving at a critical time. Blizzard’s parent company Microsoft made major cuts across its gaming division this summer, including layoffs that reportedly led to Blizzard winding down development on Warcraft Rumble. Union membership has flourished across Microsoft’s studios because of neutrality agreements the company signed with CWA respecting its workers’ right to organize at Activision Blizzard in 2022 and ZeniMax in 2024, but the environment is on the brink of possible change.
Aftermath reports that the neutrality agreement covering Activision Blizzard workers expires in October 2025, which could make forming future unions more difficult. Microsoft signed its first neutrality agreement to reassure regulators about its $68.7 billion acquisition of Activision Blizzard, but now that the deal is done and dusted, the company has less of a reason to play nice.
