Historic Agreement: Raven Software QA Testers Unionize with Microsoft

In a groundbreaking development, the dedicated quality assurance team at Raven Software, a prominent studio behind the acclaimed Call of Duty series, has achieved a monumental victory by ratifying their first collective bargaining agreement with Microsoft. This landmark accord signifies a pivotal moment for labor rights within the American video game industry, showcasing the tangible benefits of collective action. The newly established contract secures substantial improvements for the workers, including a guaranteed wage increase of ten percent over a two-year span, the elimination of detrimental mandatory overtime practices, and the implementation of transparent pathways for career advancement. This achievement not only elevates the professional standing of quality assurance specialists but also provides a powerful blueprint for other gaming professionals seeking fair treatment and equitable working conditions.

Landmark Deal Secures Worker Rights at Raven Software

In the spring of 2022, the quality assurance personnel at Raven Software, a key player in the development of the Call of Duty franchise, made history by becoming the inaugural unionized workforce within a major American gaming corporation. Operating under the banner of the Game Workers Alliance-CWA, their pioneering efforts have culminated in a momentous achievement. After three years of persistent negotiations, the GWA-CWA members decisively voted to endorse their first comprehensive contract with Microsoft, the parent company.

A recent official statement from the Communications Workers of America, the organization that provided crucial support to Raven's unionization drive in 2022, details the core provisions of this new agreement. The contract guarantees a minimum ten percent salary increment over a two-year duration, fundamentally alters the work-life balance by abolishing the requirement for excessive, mandatory overtime—often referred to as 'crunch'—and establishes precisely defined job roles alongside clear, structured processes for professional promotion. Furthermore, the agreement introduces an array of additional safeguards designed to enhance worker welfare and security.

Erin Hall, a dedicated QA tester at Raven and a respected member of the GWA-CWA bargaining committee, shared her insights on this triumph: "From the very outset, our paramount objective was to ensure every voice was heard, and the resulting contract truly embodies our collective aspirations – superior compensation, authentic career trajectories, and robust defense against professional exhaustion. This agreement genuinely acknowledges the immense value of QA work." Hall expressed immense pride in their collective accomplishment, articulating a fervent hope that their success will inspire and empower other gaming industry professionals, demonstrating unequivocally that unionization is an effective and worthwhile endeavor.

The catalyst for the Raven QA team's unionization stemmed from a protracted two-month industrial action that commenced in the winter of 2021. This strike was a direct response to Activision's decision to dismiss a dozen quality assurance testers, despite their instrumental contributions to the monumental success of Call of Duty: Warzone earlier that same year. This incident underscored a persistent historical pattern of devaluing quality assurance labor within the gaming sector, a trend that has subsequently spurred similar unionization movements among testers at other notable studios, including ZeniMax.

While Activision initially resisted these emerging unionization efforts within its studios, Microsoft, during its ongoing acquisition of Activision-Blizzard in 2022, explicitly stated its commitment not to impede the Raven QA union or any other Activision employee organizations. Despite this assurance, contract negotiations faced significant delays in the intervening years, ultimately precipitating a strike authorized by the GWA-CWA's counterparts at ZeniMax. However, in a positive turn, the ZeniMax union successfully secured its own provisional agreement with Microsoft in June.

Today, the Raven QA team jubilantly celebrates their newly ratified contract, hailing it as a profound victory that resonates throughout the entire industry. Autumn Prazuch, another key member of the GWA-CWA bargaining committee, reflected on the journey: "Transitioning from organizing to negotiating directly with one of the world's largest technology corporations presented an immense learning curve, yet we never lost sight of our fundamental purpose." She emphasized their unwavering commitment to securing meaningful salary increases and structured job frameworks that will finally establish quality assurance as a viable and sustainable career path, alongside successfully negotiating restrictions on compulsory crunch. Prazuch asserted that the ratification of this contract represents a significant triumph for gaming workers everywhere, igniting hope and demonstrating the immense potential for a brighter future through collective action.

This landmark agreement serves as a powerful testament to the unwavering determination of the Raven Software QA team and the broader labor movement. It underscores the critical importance of advocating for fair labor practices, appropriate compensation, and a healthy work-life balance within the rapidly expanding and often demanding video game industry. The success achieved by the Game Workers Alliance-CWA illuminates a clear path forward, inspiring other professionals to demand equitable treatment and fostering a more just and sustainable working environment for all. This is not merely a contract; it is a declaration of dignity and a beacon of hope for game developers worldwide.