While CEOs got dressed up for the Game Awards, 461 workers at Zenimax Online Studios unionised

Launching a game during an awards ceremony is cool. But launching a union? Even cooler. Recently, employees at Zenimax Online Studios successfully organized a union with 461 members, as revealed on social media platform Bluesky.

This union comprises engineers, artists, web developers, and game designers, with most members based in Maryland and others scattered across states like California, New York, Wisconsin, Pennsylvania, and Texas.

“With a union, we aim to advocate for workplace improvements such as job security, protection against AI, better pay, and benefits in an industry we are deeply passionate about,” they express.

Given the significant number of layoffs in recent years, job security is a primary concern, especially with Microsoft-owned studios facing thousands of layoffs. Zenimax Online Studios, known for creating The Elder Scrolls Online, is under the ownership of Microsoft.

Although Microsoft has officially recognized the union, a labor agreement post-Activision Blizzard acquisition implies that they are obligated to do so. This may explain why Zenimax QA workers could unionize more easily compared to studios under different companies.

The Zenimax Online union is affiliated with the Communication Workers of America, a parent union that has been organizing workers across the states for several years. Earlier this year, the parent group assisted Bethesda Game Studios developers in forming their union, consisting of 241 workers.

“We’re up against massive corporations,” a CWA organizer mentioned in a recent conversation about their organizing efforts. “The power imbalance is evident. We work in secret to prevent individuals from being deterred from exercising their rights before understanding them.”

Launching the union during an awards ceremony is a bold move. Kudos to the Zenimax Online Studios employees for their stealthy approach.