We begin 2026 with not one but two major stories about unionisation in the headlines; an omen, I suspect, of how much of the rest of the year is likely to turn out. Games industry unionisation has gathered steam in recent years after literally decades of being something of a punchline, but progress towards meaningful labour organisation remains slow. This year is likely to be a pivotal one in which those gains are tested against the stubbornly deep-rooted ideological resistance to the concept from many of the industry’s leaders.
This post highlights an important topic in the gaming industry. It’s interesting to see how unionization efforts are evolving and what impact they might have on the future of game development. Looking forward to more insights on this issue!