Blizzard QA testers in Albany want to unionize

techcrunch.com:

Activision Blizzard’s Raven Software QA testers formed the gaming giant’s first formally recognized union in May, but that momentum hasn’t died down at the massive company. Today, Blizzard QA testers in Albany announced that they are forming a union with the Game Workers Alliance and Communications Workers of America (CWA), the same groups behind the Raven Software union.

“There are issues in the video game industry that often go unaddressed because our work is considered a passion instead of a job,” Blizzard Albany associate test analyst Amanda Laven said in a statement. “Quality assurance workers deserve fair treatment and proper compensation for the work we do which is why we chose to form a union.”

QA is currently an undervalued discipline in the games and software industries. We strive to foster work environments where we are respected and compensated for our essential role in the development process. 1/5

— GWA Albany (@WeAreGWAAlbany) July 19, 2022

QA testers are responsible for identifying and removing bugs or glitches in a game, making sure that the user experience is as smooth as possible. But when a game is on its way to release, QA testers are often subjected to “crunch” conditions, requiring them to work extremely long hours to make sure the product is ready.

“We get marginalized and thought of as a number, but we are key to any game that is out there,” Blizzard Albany associate test analyst Brock Davis told TechCrunch.

The issue of crunch among QA testers became increasingly noticeable when Raven Software workers, who mostly work on the Call of Duty franchise, began their campaign for better working conditions in December.