Nearly 1,900 Blizzard Entertainment workers represented by the Communications Workers of America have ratified their first union contract with parent company Microsoft after more than two years of negotiations. The deal consolidates prior separate units into three main bargaining groups covering World of Warcraft, QA, Hearthstone, platform and technology, customer support, story and franchise development, Diablo, and Overwatch teams.

Key terms include wage increases, a three-day hybrid workweek with remote work application processes, name crediting for current and former staff on shipped titles, 60-day layoff notice or pay in lieu, one week of severance per six months worked, an extra four weeks of severance regardless of tenure, 14 months of recall rights across Blizzard units, and a successorship clause. AI language states that tools may support human judgment but workflows require human control and review, with any implementation materially impacting union work subject to mandatory bargaining beforehand.

The contract runs four to five years depending on the bargaining group. Union statements described the outcome as historic for the video game industry.