Multiple Bethesda studios have recently unionized, with a total of 241 workers forming the union. This marks the first “wall-to-wall” unionization effort at a Microsoft-owned gaming studio. While Microsoft has not publicly commented on this development, they have acknowledged the union. The unionization encompasses 241 developers across Bethesda’s studios in Dallas, Rockville, and Austin, joining Bethesda Montreal, which filed for unionization last month.
This marks the first time in the company’s history that one of its studios has fully unionized across departments. In response to the unionization, Johnny Brown from the CWA stated, “In a groundbreaking achievement, the dedicated professionals at Bethesda Game Studios have demonstrated that, no matter your job title, you too can benefit from having a union. Through securing a protected voice on the job, workers are taking a step forward to negotiating better working conditions, helping to raise standards across the industry.” Although Microsoft has not issued a public statement regarding the union at the time of publication, the CWA has stated that the company has recognized the union.
This is not the first time a Microsoft-owned studio has been involved in discussions around unionization efforts in the gaming industry, with Activision Blizzard workers also organizing before the Microsoft acquisition. During its four decades of operation, Bethesda has been responsible for many popular games, including The Elder Scrolls and Fallout series from Bethesda Game Studios, as well as titles like Dishonored and Doom published by Bethesda Softworks.
