Blizzard QA workers ratify contract with Microsoft after three years

Details reported by Pcgamer indicate QA workers at Blizzard's Albany and Austin studios have ratified a union contract with parent company Microsoft after almost three years of negotiating, covering 60+ workers under the new agreement.

A statement provided by the Communications Workers of America confirms the deal includes guaranteed wage increases; more regulations on AI and generative AI usage at work to ensure workers are supported, not replaced; protections on fair crediting; disability accommodations; immigrant worker protection; and restrictions on "mandatory 'crunch time' or excessive overtime hours."

The outcome follows a broader trend of videogame developers unionising to seek sustainable careers, and mirrors other Microsoft negotiations—Raven's QA workers also took three years to reach a contract.