The games industry is being unionized by some of its most overlooked talent

For decades, the North American video game industry has resisted unionization — though workers have long been organizing among themselves, the industry’s first official union didn’t form until late last year. Three industry unions are currently in existence, and there is another one being formed. The quality assurance group is the leader of the movement.

Quality assurance (or simply QA) works long hours so players don’t see bugs during development. Call of Duty is a big game that can involve more than 1000 people trying to eradicate bugs.

Many QA workers in this industry feel their work is undervalued. They often report low salaries and excessive overtime. Most contract workers have limited job security, and are often faced with challenges when advancing in their career. QA workers feel exploited and vulnerable, according to Polygon. The video game industry topped $60.4 billion in revenue in 2021, according to the Electronic Software Association, yet some QA workers told Polygon they can’t afford the commute to the office.

QA employees are often passionate about what they do and strive to advance in their field. And that’s why they’re trying to change it.

The first video game union wasn’t purely QA or contract workers; that was Beast Breaker developer Vodeo Games’ historic union win in 2021, which encompassed the whole studio. Raven Software QA workers of Activision Blizzard began their union drive in the following week, marking the first time that they had broken ground at a major, corporate videogame corporation. Following a lengthy back and forth with Activision Blizzard the group, called Game Workers Alliance won their union vote. Dragon Age 4Next, Keywords Studios’ QA workers organized and consolidated their union with Alberta Labour Board. Now, a third group of QA workers — again with Activision Blizzard — are making a union push under Blizzard Albany, the studio formerly known as Vicarious Visions that worked on Activision’s Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater games. It’s a monumental time for the video game industry, built on years of organizing that came before it. And like in other industries, it’s largely been the most vulnerable workers taking the lead.

“It’s part of the larger labor movement that’s happening,” Keywords Studios QA worker James Russwurm told Polygon. “We have the Starbucks workers who are taking the United States by storm […]Amazon workers are no exception. Because of the economic pressures, you’re really seeing the workers who are least paid hit the hardest. It’s like we’re trying to find all the bugs in the labor, and make sure we get some fixed.”

Indeed, union election petitions are up by 56%, the National Labor Relations Board reported last week — more election petitions were filed in the first three quarters of 2022 than in 2021 put together. Starbucks had no unionized stores at the beginning of 2021. Vox says that more than 170 stores are currently filing to vote.

Many companies viewed QA staff as easily replaced and expendable. They were often unaware that new talent was always available.

“A lot of studios take advantage of that eagerness,” Russwurm said. “They’re telling you — but not directly — that there are 300 applicants behind you willing to take your position because of the industry we work in, because they’re so passionate.”

QA testers are also considered entry-level positions that require less education than engineers. But QA testers say that’s not really true; it’s a specialized position that touches every aspect of development.

“I like to refer to us as the gatekeepers,” Blizzard Albany QA tester Ryan Claudy told Polygon. “QA signs off on everything before it goes live. We’re the last ones to see it.”

If Warzone: The Call of DutyThe strike by QA testers in January was a clear sign of their value: Players were complaining about the rampant bugs at that time and some QA workers pointed out the strike.

“When push comes to shove, when QA people band together and stand up, we’re seeing win after win,” Blizzard senior engineer Valentine Powell told Polygon in an interview earlier this year. “Everybody who works in game dev understands the value of QA. We can’t ship our games without them.”

Following Raven Software’s union announcement, Activision Blizzard vowed to convert all its U.S.-based QA workers to full-time jobs with benefits, upping their pay to at least $20 an hour — a significant jump for a group typically paid closer to minimum wage. Organizers believe unions can also benefit these full-time workers, people who’ve secured better benefits they’d like to protect into the future. Claudy explained that a contract with a union for Blizzard workers in Albany could lock in some of the higher benefits Activision Blizzard provided QA workers earlier this month and also change certain other things.

Workers in the videogame industry hope that the drive will spread to the entire industry.

“Our efforts here to unionize aren’t just for quality assurance,” Claudy from Blizzard Albany said. “Of course that’s what we’re starting, but it’s not the goal. It would be great for all of Activision Blizzard to unite. All of Activision Blizzard would be great if they unified. We want the whole industry, because we want everybody to get better treatment and better wages.”