Microsoft has voluntarily recognised a union formed of about 300 ZeniMax Studios testers.
A “supermajority” of workers voted to unionise, the Communication Workers of America said.
The testers work across ZeniMax Studios, which includes Dishonored developer Arkane, Skyrim maker Bethesda and Doom dev id Software. The testers are currently working on a raft of games, including 2023 Xbox exclusives Redfall and Starfield.
It’s the first time Microsoft has agreed to recognise a union, and marks the biggest video game union in the US to form as part of a growing labour movement within the industry sparked by 2021’s shocking sexual misconduct allegations at Activision Blizzard. Microsoft is currently battling to achieve regulatory support for its proposed $69bn buyout of Activision Blizzard, and voluntarily recognising unions is seen as a way for the megacorp to address concern about the merger’s impact on workers.