IWGB Game Workers Union

@gameworkers.co.uk

1887 Followers 42 Following

The largest union for game devs in the UK. Work in game dev or TTRPG? Join the union: https://www.gameworkers.co.uk/

Join us for our social during Develop:Brighton! Lazy Fin, Brighton Wednesday 15th July, 5pm
We were incredibly disappointed and outraged to hear about the layoffs and cancellations announced by Ubisoft last week. Hundreds of workers have been put into an incredibly stressful and precarious position. We stand in solidarity with our fellow game workers at CFE-CGC, CGT, Printemps Écologique, Solidaires Informatique, and STJV as they prepare for a massive international strike in February. Game workers are the backbone of the industry, yet they continue to face an unstable and unfair working environment. The games we love cannot be made without the hard work of game workers around the world. Solidarity with those at Ubisoft.
We are appalled to hear about the closure of Ubisoft Halifax and the loss of 71 workers' livelihoods, less than a month after the formation of a union with CWA Canada Local 30111. We stand with our fellow game workers—profit will never trump people, and the games we love cannot be made without the dedicated workers who continue to deal with precarity and unfair treatment because of their love and passion for games. However, every day more and more game workers realize this does not have to be the way. Unions in the games industry are getting stronger and will not be silenced. Solidarity with those at Ubisoft.
Rockstar’s latest statement is littered with falsehoods and disinformation - they have given multiple, conflicting reasons to explain why the workers were fired, as if attempting to reverse engineer a rationale for the dismissals. Once again, they have chosen to mischaracterise workers speaking about their working conditions in a private forum as “leaking information”. It is hard to understand this statement as anything but a desperate attempt to deflect from the global scrutiny they have come under over the last month. From the UK Prime Minister in the House of Commons, to the game developers across the world erupting in protest - all eyes are on Rockstar and their lawless attack on the people who make them their billions.
GAME WORKERS OF IWGB REMEMBERS TRANSGENDER PEOPLE WHO HAVE LOST THEIR LIVES We spend today remembering those we’ve lost this Transgender Day of Remembrance, it is important now more than ever to stand in solidarity with our trans allies and colleagues. An important word from our Chair, Spring McparlinJones, on this topic: “It's hard to ignore the feeling of suspense in the trans community today. It's beginning to feel obvious that the target that's been placed on our collective head isn’t going away. In times like this, we turn to our memories. The optimists amongst us are remembering the brief period in the 2010’s when it seemed like things would be ok. The pessimists are remembering pink triangles. I'm choosing to remember what it was that allowed me to make it 7 years into my transition: my community. I've drifted through many different left leaning groups since my transition began. I'm proud to say that, beyond the trans centric ones, I've never found a community so welcoming to trans people as the Game Workers' union. There's no telling what is coming next for us, but I feel safe in the knowledge that I won't have to face it alone ✊️” We encourage you to attend a local or online vigil to offer support to the transgender people around you and to remember those who have lost their lives to anti-trans violence this year and in years passed. For more information on key organisations and workplace support: empower-up.com/topic/gender-reassignment/ . If you would like to attend a vigil, either online or in person, please visit: lgbthero.org.uk/tdor-vigils-2025
Photo of Rockstar workers demonstrating outside of Rockstar North.
Dan Houser interview concludes. Interviewer thanked Dan Houser for everything hes done for the world Dan Houser told him It was never me It was always people on the side who made the technical stuff
Open Letter to the Executive Leadership at Build A Rocket Boy
IWGB Game Workers Guildford Social, on 24 August 1pm, Stoke Park
Open Letter Relating to the UK Video Games Council - full version on our website https://www.gameworkers.co.uk/open-letter-regarding-the-uk-video-games-council/
Members of IWGB Game Workers at Pride
Map showing IWGB Game workers booth at Develop Brighton (booth b40)
IWGB Game Workers @ Develop Brighton poster
A collage of photos of members from the IWGB Game Workers AGM 2025
IWGB Game Workers Annual General Meeting: Time 1pm-4pm Saturday 14th June London location: 171 Union St, London SE1 0LN Dundee location: 1 W Victoria Dock Rd, Dundee DD1 3JP Leeds location: Neighbourhood, 3 Sheaf Street, LS10 1HD Belfast location: Accidental Theatre 12-13 Shaftesbury Square, Belfast BT2 7DB, UK Online: via Zoom
Image with dice with IWGB union logos on, advertising a TTRPG freelancer survey.
Game Workers of IWGB Statement On Recent Lay-Offs Yesterday, we learned that after 13 years in operation, the majority of staff at Polygon were unceremoniously fired after the games outlet was acquired by media aggregator Valnet. Talented workers and a valuable resource for the games media have been plundered for short-term gain. At almost the same time, workers at Giant Bomb departed en masse as Fandom, the newest owners of the nearly 20 year old outlet, plots a “strategic reset and realignment.” We sincerely wish the best to those affected. Yet again, we see the media which writes about games and the games industry itself are under attack: by growth-at-all-cost plunderers - financial predators who don’t actually make anything. Talent, knowledge, history were all lost yesterday. In the face of this ongoing corporate vandalism, the people who make games and the people who write about games must organize. Join your local union. Stand shoulder to shoulder with your fellow workers. Don’t let the vultures win.
Game Developers unConference logo
Graphic from GDC 2025 survey, showing majority support (58%) for game devs unionising, and only 10% being opposed.
An orange cat with union branded stickers.