Happy holidays: 461 Elder Scrolls Online studio developers just unionized

Bree Royce 2024-12-13 00:00:00

Bethsoft has one union, yes. What about *second* union? In fact, this is more like third union, and we’re not sorry to see it.

Readers will recall that QA workers at Microsoft-owned ZeniMax – which encompasses Bethsoft/Fallout 76 as well as ZeniMax Online Studios/Elder Scrolls Online – began unionization efforts all the way back in 2022, ultimately forming what was then the largest games union in the US in 2023 (it was surpassed only this year by Microsoft’s other acquisition, Activision-Blizzard). But that was QA; earlier this year, a “wall to wall” union of Bethsoft workers also combined forces in an officially recognized union that expanded to include artists, engineers, programmers, and designers, all as Microsoft continued to fumble around, conduct mass layoffs admit huge stock buybacks, and shift blame while accepting no actual responsibility.

Well, now ZeniMax Online Studios has done the same thing, organizing into a what Communications Workers of America says is a union backed by an “overwhelming majority of video game workers” at the Elder Scrolls Online studio.

“In accordance with its stated labor principles, Microsoft has recognized the union, signaling a significant victory for workers’ rights in the industry,” CWA says. “While a majority of workers are based in Maryland, workers are located all across the country, including California, New York, Pennsylvania, Texas, and Wisconsin. With 461 members, ZOS United-CWA will include web developers, designers, engineers, and graphic artists.”

Oh, and ESO fans will love this one. Remember how ESO’s tagline is “You belong here“? Well, one ZOS artist echoed that in the PR: “At ZeniMax, unions belong here.”

CWA says over 6000 workers in North America have organized under the CODE-CWA banner in the last five years.

Elder Scrolls Online releases U44 on console as ZeniMax Workers United goes on strikeMicrosoft’s latest game division layoffs affect nearly 400 Activision-Blizzard employeesMicrosoft inflates its stock price through a $60B buyback of shares in the shadow of 650 layoffsMicrosoft is laying off yet another batch of games division workers – 650 this timeBlizzard’s World of Warcraft team just formed a wall-to-wall multidisciplinary WoWGG unionDevs from multiple Bethesda offices formally create a ‘wall to wall’ union of over 200 workersLayoffs have once again impacted workers at Ubisoft and Microsoft‘I have to run a sustainable business’ – Microsoft’s Phil Spencer addresses layoffs and studio shutdownsMicrosoft continues shrinking ZeniMax and Xbox with voluntary severance dealsMicrosoft shutters multiple studios, abandons Redfall, bolsters Elder Scrolls Online staffingThe newly recognized Activision QA United is now the biggest union in the US games industryXbox’s Phil Spencer insists Microsoft’s mass-layoffs position it for future growth, somehowMicrosoft’s layoffs will result in over 800 cut Activision-Blizzard jobs in MarchMicrosoft insists Activision-Blizzard was planning on mass layoffs before the mergerMicrosoft lays off 1900 workers: Blizzard sheds Mike Ybarra, its survival game, and its customer support in one dayHalo Infinite and Elder Scrolls Online teams were hit by Microsoft’s 10,000-person layoffMicrosoft’s ZeniMax QA just formed the largest games industry union in the countryUnionizing ZeniMax QA workers claim ‘death from a thousand cuts’ thanks to crunch and low payHundreds of QA workers at ZeniMax – including Elder Scrolls Online’s ZOS – are preparing to unionize Source: CWA
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