Activision Publishing's 600 QA workers form union

Core Insights - Activision Publishing's quality assurance department has formed the largest gaming union in the U.S. with approximately 600 workers [1] - The union, named Activision Quality Assurance United – CWA, was established with the support of the Communications Workers of America [1][2] - Microsoft's acquisition of Activision Blizzard for $68.7 billion and a prior labor neutrality agreement facilitated the unionization process [1][2] Industry Context - The gaming industry is experiencing significant layoffs, with 8,000 reported so far in 2023, contributing to a total of 10,500 layoffs for the year [3] - Activision Blizzard has existing unions at other locations, including Blizzard in Albany and Raven Software in Wisconsin [3] - The unionization efforts at Activision began in 2021, coinciding with a lawsuit from California regarding widespread sexual misconduct [3]