Unions are fighting back against Xbox layoffs
Hi all. There is a lot that is still in motion right now in the wake of recent layoffs across the gaming industry, especially with the massive cuts taking place at Xbox. I'm continuing to talk with various developers to size up everything happening, but much is still unclear.
Right now though, unions are pushing back against these cuts, and despite the challenges the teams faced, there are reasons to be optimistic with just how many unionized developers still work at Xbox.
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With hundreds laid off, the unions are pushing back
Last week, Xbox cut multiple studios and laid off 1,600 employees, half of a planned 3,200 that is set to unfold over the remaining year. Because of this process, the full human cost isn't yet clear, but the damage done so far already feels catastrophic.
Role-playing game developer Obsidian Entertainment lost 70 employees, or about 25% of its total staff. The studio has reportedly put some projects on ice as it pivots to develop a Fallout game.
Other teams have fared even worse, with legendary DOOM and Quake developer id Software cut by at least 50%, losing well over a hundred workers, with an additional six developers cut from the small Frankfurt team. ZeniMax Online Studios was similarly gutted.
Even The Elder Scrolls developer Bethesda Game Studios wasn't left untouched, with about 50 workers cut from across the team's four different studios.
Workers across ZeniMax Media — the parent company of publisher Bethesda Softworks, as well as the development teams at Bethesda Game Studios, id Software, and ZeniMax Online Studios — are heavily unionized, with wall-to-wall unions at each of the North American studios. That means even in the face of layoffs, they have additional rights and protections not available to the average worker across the gaming industry.
The Communication Workers of America (CWA) gave a clear response to these cuts.
"Although our union signed neutrality agreements with Microsoft, we have been extremely disappointed by a company that has slow-walked our members at the bargaining table, making CWA members wait for the protections of a union contract," says Claude Cummings Jr., President of CWA.
"But make no mistake – whether our members have a contract in hand, or are still at the bargaining table, CWA members at Xbox have the power and protection of union membership. When Microsoft decides to treat the workers who built Xbox as expendable, it should know who they’re dealing with. This is not just a fight with the thousands of workers across Xbox; it’s a fight with each and every member at CWA — hundreds of thousands of people strong."
What can anyone else do?
Right now, there are some things supporters and Xbox players can do. For starters, there's a post on the Xbox Player Voice feedback portal — an official Xbox website where players can post criticism, feedback, and various suggestions for Xbox to consider — asking Xbox management to stop the constant cycle of studio closures and layoffs. The unions have explicitly asked players to upvote this suggestion.
Looking ahead, the CWA is also holding rallies on Wednesday, July 15 across North America. The rallies will be held at id Software in Dallas, Texas; Bethesda Game Studios Austin in Austin, Texas; Bethesda Softworks in Rockville, Maryland; Obsidian Entertainment in Irvine, California; Bethesda Game Studios Montréal in Montréal, Quebec; and Microsoft headquarters in Redmond, Washington.
If you're able, I'd encourage attending one of these rallies. You can find the exact times and locations in this thread.
On a smaller but still meaningful note, I'm highlighting United Front, a thoughtful mod for The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim designed by TheRealElianora. This mod adds two shields and two banners bearing the logos for ZeniMax Workers United and OneBGS, the unions for ZeniMax Media QA workers in North America and Bethesda Game Studios, respectively.
United Front is available for Skyrim on Xbox and PC. If you (like me) often yourself replaying Skyrim, consider downloading this mod and sharing screenshots with these banners to show support.
