Overwatch 2 team unionizes: “When workers come together to build power, we become able to ensure a brighter future for all.”

The game developers behind Overwatch 2 have joined the Communications Workers of America (CWA). The announcement arrived on May 9, 2025, and about 200 workers will be part of CWA Local 9510 in Orange County.

The workers formed the Overwatch Gamemakers Guild-CWA (OWGG-CWA), which is a wall-to-wall unit union that "includes game developers across all disciplines, including design, production, engineering, art, sound, and quality assurance."

According to the official announcement, an overwhelming majority of workers either signed a union authorization card or indicated they wanted union representation to make this happen. Microsoft, which acquired Activision Blizzard in 2023, also recognized the Overwatch 2 union.

Senior test analyst and organizing committee member Jess Castillo said the decision to organize came from a strong belief in the company, the teams, and the work being done together. Unionizing is seen as a way to gain a seat at the table and collaborate with leadership on sustainable working conditions.

"Ultimately, when we're supported and thriving, we can deliver the best possible experiences to our players, which is what brought all of us here in the first place," Castillo added.

Now, over 2,600 workers at Microsoft-owned studios have unionized with the CWA. Through a union, workers can advocate together for improvements such as layoff protections, job security, wage increases, safeguards for remote work, and more.

Frank Le Cocq, a visual effects artist, shared his thoughts on the matter. "The massive layoffs in the video game industry, and at my own studio, became one of the first reasons I started to learn about how to organize to create a healthier workplace for everyone,” Le Cocq said. “When we began our union efforts, it was empowering to know that our coworkers next door at World of Warcraft had already successfully gone through the process.”

Meanwhile, Jason Justice, president of CWA Local 9510, noted that California remains a hub for video game organizing and welcomed the Overwatch 2 developers to the union alongside workers from World of Warcraft and SEGA of America.

"When workers come together to build power, we become able to ensure a brighter future for all," Justice said.

This OWGG-CWA Overwatch 2 union announcement is the latest development in the organizing efforts across the technology and video game industry.

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