At ZeniMax, a game studio owned by Microsoft, 300 quality assurance (QA) testers voted to form a union. It is Microsoft’s first official union in the United States and is also the largest gaming union in the country.
Trade union organizing is on the rise in the video game industry, especially among QA workers. In 2022, his QA testers at Activision Blizzard successfully formed a union with Raven Software and Blizzard Albany through the Communication Workers Alliance (CWA), which represents ZeniMax’s union. Activision Blizzard has tried to prevent unions from organizing at every turn, but Microsoft promised in June that he would not prevent employees from organizing.Therefore, by obtaining a majority of the votes in favor of unionization, Microsoft formally ZeniMax Workers United, according to the CWA. Microsoft has not yet responded to a request for comment.
“Microsoft has lived up to its commitments to workers and empowered them to decide if they want to unionize,” said Chris Shelton, president of Communications Workers of America, in a statement. “Other video game and tech giants have made the conscious choice to attack, undermine, and demoralize employees who have come together to form unions. We are planning another course to strengthen our ability to serve the industry and serve as a model for the industry and a blueprint for regulators.”
ZeniMax includes subsidiaries such as Bethesda Softworks and id Software, which produce franchises such as The Elder Scrolls, Doom and Fallout.
Zachary Armstrong, Senior Quality Assurance Tester II at id Software, told TechCrunch last month that the department is organizing to fight for better wages and conditions.
“When it comes to game development, QA testers are consistently at the bottom of the totem pole, to the point where they aren’t even considered game developers,” Armstrong said. QA personnel rigorously test every aspect of the video game to identify and resolve issues that affect the user’s experience. “That’s reflected in our salaries, and it’s reflected in the work we do, especially when it comes to Crunch.”
Towards a deadline, QA testers can be expected to work unsustainable hours to get the game ready for public release. This is called a “crunch”. His QA testers, who have unionized at Activision Blizzard, have also expressed concerns about Crunch’s expectations of his time. Before announcing his union intentions, his QA testers at Raven Software went on strike to protest layoffs affecting 12 of his contractors. Before those contracts ended, the QA tester said he was working overtime for five straight weeks.
The next step for ZeniMax’s union is contract negotiations with Microsoft.
“We have an opportunity before us to make a difference and bring equity to the video game industry,” said Victoria Banos, Senior QA Audio Tester, in a statement. “We want to put an end to sudden plight, unfair salaries and lack of growth opportunities within the company. We will promote better communication between employees, a clear path for those who want to advance their careers, and more.”
