Nearly 1,900 Blizzard workers ratify first union contract with Microsoft

Blizzard Entertainment's first union contract with parent company Microsoft was ratified by a workforce vote covering just under 1,900 staff after more than two years of negotiations. The deal includes protections on generative AI use, crediting, remote work, and layoffs, requires AI-assisted workflows to remain under human review, and mandates bargaining before implementing AI tech that would materially impact union employees' work. Blizzard president Johanna Faries called the ratification a significant milestone, while Activision's King rejected a collective bargaining agreement with Swedish unions Unionen and Sveriges Ingenjörer.