Blizzard Entertainment workers ratify first union contracts with Microsoft

Nearly 1,900 Blizzard Entertainment workers, represented by the Communications Workers of America (CWA), have ratified their first union contracts with the Microsoft-owned company. The agreements follow more than two years of negotiations and cover various units, including teams for World of Warcraft, Hearthstone, Diablo, and Overwatch, as well as platform, technology, and story development departments.

The contracts introduce several industry-notable protections. Key terms include provisions for generative AI use, requiring that any implementation materially impacting work must be bargained over and that AI-assisted workflows remain under human control. The agreements also establish protections regarding layoffs, including a 14-month recall right for open positions and a requirement for an extra four weeks of severance.

Additional terms include a three-day in-office hybrid workweek, remote work and disability accommodations, and crediting requirements that ensure current and former staff are listed by name on titles they contributed to. The contracts, which are expected to last between four and five years, also include a successorship clause to ensure the agreement remains in effect even if Blizzard is sold to another company.