Activision Blizzard to convert all US-based QA workers to full-time positions
Activision Blizzard will convert all its U.S.-based temporary and contingent quality assurance (QA) positions to full-time jobs, the company announced Thursday. Nearly 1,100 workers will become full-time Activision Blizzard employees, upping pay to at least $20 an hour and allowing QA workers access to bonuses and full benefits.
Activision Publishing chief operating officer and Blizzard Entertainment head Mike Ybarra shared the news with staff Thursday.
“Across Activision Blizzard, we are bringing more content to players across our franchises than ever before,” an Activision Blizzard spokesperson said in an statement emailed to Polygon. “As a result, we are refining how our teams work together to develop our games and deliver the best possible experiences for our players. We have ambitious plans for the future and our Quality Assurance (QA) team members are a critical part of our development efforts.”
The conversion of all U.S.-based QA staff to full-time employment increases Activision Publishing’s total full-time workforce by 25%. An Activision Blizzard spokesperson said that both Activision Publishing and Blizzard Entertainment will continue to use “external partner support” for QA workers when “workload spikes and exceeds the team’s bandwidth.”
Activision Blizzard provided the two emails to staff to Polygon:
Email to AP U.S. employees from Josh Taub, Chief Operating Officer, Activision Publishing
From: Josh Taub
Subject Line: Update to QA
Team,
During the last two years, Call of Duty has expanded and evolved. Our development cycles have gone from an annual release to an “always on” model. In response to greater engagement, we’ve increased our live services business across all platforms. Our offerings now encompass
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