King, the Candy Crush maker and Microsoft subsidiary, just signed a collective bargaining agreement with Swedish unions Unionen and Engineers of Sweden, narrowly averting a strike that was set to begin today. After more than a year of negotiations that began in May 2025 and an earlier rejection in August, the eleventh-hour deal gives employees greater influence over their work situations and advance notice on reorganizations or changes impacting their roles.

This represents real progress for worker power in the gaming industry, where precarious conditions and layoffs have become all too common, especially under big tech ownership. The agreement, effective April 1, 2027, applies to roughly 100 unionized staff across King's Malmö and Stockholm offices out of around 500-550 total employees there, serving as a "floor not a ceiling" for benefits while ensuring everyone has the same basic conditions that nearly nine out of ten Swedish workers enjoy through collective agreements.

Union leaders called it a major victory and a testament to the Swedish model, crediting persistent member engagement for forcing the outcome. King's move comes amid ongoing Microsoft gaming division cuts, highlighting the urgent need for systemic protections in an industry that often prioritizes profits over people.