id Software, the studio behind Doom, establishes a comprehensive union.

Developer id Software, the Texas-based studio famous for the Doom series, has officially formed a union with the Communications Workers of America (CWA). This “wall-to-wall” guild aims to safeguard employees from the impacts of AI while advocating for essential benefits like remote work. Microsoft has acknowledged the studio’s unionization efforts. According to a statement from the CWA, id Software’s 165-member union will be part of the CWA Local 6215 division in Richardson, Texas. Producer Andrew Willis emphasized the necessity for workers to stand up against the current injustices in the gaming industry. He stated, “The wall-to-wall organizing effort at id Software was much needed; it’s incredibly important that developers across the industry unite to push back on all the unilateral workplace changes that are being handed down from industry executives. The union is a way for us, the developers, to take back control of the industry we love and to ensure that it delivers high-quality products from high-quality workers who have health benefits and longevity beyond quarterly profits.”

Senior VFX artist Caroline Pierrot shared her pride in helping to unionize id Software, noting that “more unions means more power to the workers and a real shot at shaping the future of the industry for the better.” Chris Hays, a lead services programmer and organizing committee member, added that remote work is not just a perk but a “necessity for our health, our families, and our access needs.” This focus on better benefits, remote work opportunities, and AI protections is central to the union’s mission. Hays emphasized that the union will ensure “everyone has a voice in the things that matter most to [id Software].”

Following the successful unionization, Hays expressed his motivation to secure protections around remote work and responsible AI usage. However, Willis pointed out that Microsoft is pushing for increased AI integration, while cautioning that not all technology is inherently negative. “There’s definitely a directive from Microsoft to use [AI] more,” he remarked. “In what ways and how careful they’re being about implementing it within the studio to actually benefit the creation of a better game or a more efficient process, I personally don’t think that’s being done in a careful enough way to have it be beneficial.”

Ultimately, all three believe that this new union will shine a positive light on the gaming industry. Willis noted that as more studios unionize, more developers are likely to remain in the industry. This is crucial, he argues, because many executives lack hands-on experience in game development. “We see the direction the industry is headed,” Willis said. “The folks that are in charge of a lot of these decision-making processes, it’s a lot of Ivy League MBAs, a lot of folks with zero game experience—not just from the management standpoint, but zero experience in actually making games. […] I find little evidence of them really enjoying games or playing games personally.”