According to Eurogamer.net, employees at Microsoft-owned Doom studio id Software have voted to form a union with the Communications Workers of America (CWA), which Microsoft has now recognized. This makes id Software a “wall-to-wall” union, meaning it includes all developers, artists, and programmers, not just QA staff. The move follows QA workers at Microsoft first forming a union with the CWA back in 2023. Key organizers include id Software producer Andrew Willis and senior VFX artist Caroline Pierrot, who cited instability and a need for worker voice as motivations. With this addition, there are now almost 4000 union-represented workers across Microsoft. The news coincided with a demonstration by the United Videogame Workers CWA outside The Game Awards ceremony last night, protesting layoffs and studio closures.
A Shift in the Force
This is a big deal, and not just because it’s the studio that basically invented the first-person shooter. We’re talking about a full-studio union at a flagship, legacy developer under one of the world’s largest corporations. It’s a stark contrast to the typical image of unionization being for QA or lower-tier studios. When your senior VFX artists and producers are leading the charge, it sends a message that the discontent is deep and widespread across pay grades. The CWA is clearly executing a smart, piece-by-piece strategy within Microsoft‘s gaming division, building on their 2023 QA win and the contract they negotiated for ZeniMax staff in May. They’re creating pockets of organized labor that could eventually link up.
The Real Challenge Begins Now
Here’s the thing, though. Winning recognition and voting yes is the (relatively) easy part. The hard work starts at the bargaining table. Now they have to actually negotiate a first contract. That process can take years, and it’s where a lot of union drives lose momentum or settle for weak terms. Microsoft has been notably neutral publicly on these union efforts, which is a strategy in itself. But neutrality during an election is different from neutrality during contract negotiations that will cost real money. Will they agree to industry-altering standards on crunch, royalties, or job security during acquisitions? I’m skeptical. The corporate incentive is to keep things standardized across their many studios to avoid a domino effect.
Instability as the Catalyst
Look, the organizers aren’t wrong. The last two years have been a brutal parade of layoffs, even at profitable companies. When Caroline Pierrot says the industry has “proven to be very unstable,” she’s stating a fact everyone has witnessed. That fear is a powerful motivator. A union is fundamentally a structure for collective survival in a volatile market. It’s not just about higher pay; it’s about due process, severance, and having a say before your project is canned or your studio is shuttered. That desire for “longevity beyond quarterly profits” is a direct critique of the current Wall Street-driven model gaming has embraced. Basically, workers are building a defense system against the very executives they work for.
What It Means for the Rest of Us
So, is this the start of a true wave? It’s a major signal, for sure. If a studio with the prestige and legacy of id Software can do it, why can’t others? It legitimizes the effort. But let’s not get ahead of ourselves. The game industry is global, and labor laws vary wildly. Success at a U.S.-based studio under a tech giant that’s avoiding a nasty public fight is one specific scenario. The real test will be if this model spreads to other major publishers who might be more aggressively anti-union. Still, adding 4000 voices under the Microsoft umbrella creates a bloc that can’t be ignored. They’re not just trying to save their own jobs; they’re explicitly trying, as Andrew Willis said, to “take back control of the industry.” That’s a revolutionary statement. And it’s one that’s now backed by a union card.
