Around 1,900 unionised workers at Blizzard Entertainment have voted to ratify their first contract with the publisher after years of negotiations. The agreement includes protections against layoffs and sets a framework for how generative AI can be used in game development. The deal also secures wage increases and a hybrid work model that allows staff to work from home two days a week.

The ratification follows a wave of layoffs at Xbox Game Studios, which saw Microsoft cut 3,200 positions. Staff at Microsoft-owned studios, including Bethesda, protested the cuts and raised concerns about their own job security. Blizzard workers cited these industry-wide pressures as a key driver for securing stronger protections in their new contract.

Blizzard isn't the only game studio to pursue unionisation in response to industry pressures. Rockstar workers recently formed the Rockstar IWGB Game Workers Union following alleged unjust firings and fears of layoffs ahead of the launch of GTA VI. The Communications Workers of America announced the ratification of Blizzard's contract, though the full text has not been made public.