A new union aimed at representing videogame professionals has been formed across North America, signaling a pivotal moment for the industry’s workforce. United Videogame Workers—CWA (UVW-CWA) seeks to provide a unified voice for a wide range of roles within game development. This union’s establishment comes amid growing concerns over job security and working conditions in the rapidly evolving gaming sector.
Building on previous unionization efforts by the Communications Workers of America (CWA) at specific studios, UVW-CWA extends its reach to encompass developers from all studios across the United States and Canada. Past unions formed at Raven Software, Activision, and Bethesda provided a foundation for this broader initiative, allowing more inclusive representation of diverse job roles within the industry.
What Is the Mission of UVW-CWA?
“Our mission is to build community and solidarity among videogame workers, as well as conduct large-scale education campaigns about labor organizing in the industry,”
the union announced. UVW-CWA aims to strengthen the collective power of its members and promote widespread understanding of labor rights within the videogame sector.
How Is UVW-CWA Responding to Industry Challenges?
“Job instability looms over us all, as corporate greed drives mass layoffs, studio closures, and the scorched-earth acquisitions of our workplaces,” UVW-CWA stated. “Meanwhile, AI threatens to devalue our skills and erase our labor, with executives rushing to replace us with tools built on the very work they exploit.”
The union focuses on addressing these challenges by advocating for job security, opposing unfair layoffs, and resisting the replacement of human labor with artificial intelligence.
What Are UVW-CWA’s Plans Moving Forward?
UVW-CWA is aligning its launch with the 2025 Game Developers Conference (GDC), where it will host a panel titled “Videogame Labor at a Crossroads: New Pathways to Industry-Wide Organizing.” Additionally, the union plans to circulate a petition to garner support for its efforts to establish a more robust and unified representation for videogame workers across the industry.
The establishment of UVW-CWA represents a concerted effort to unify the videogame workforce under a singular organizational umbrella. By addressing both immediate concerns such as layoffs and broader issues like technological displacement, the union endeavors to create a more secure and equitable environment for all its members. This collective action could lead to significant changes in the industry’s labor dynamics, ultimately enhancing the working conditions for videogame professionals.
- United Videogame Workers—CWA launched at 2025 GDC.
- Focus on solidarity, job security, and labor education.
- Open to all US and Canadian game developers.
