Magic: The Gathering Arena Team Pushes for Unionization at Wizards of the Coast
The team behind Magic: The Gathering Arena is taking a significant step by moving to unionize, marking a first for Wizards of the Coast, the studio responsible for Magic: The Gathering and Dungeons & Dragons, which operates under Hasbro.
A substantial majority of the workforce has already signed cards in favor of forming a union with the Communications Workers of America (CWA), as announced recently. The proposed union would encompass over 100 developers from various roles, including engineering, design, art, and production.
The workers are seeking voluntary recognition from Hasbro, which would allow the union to officially form if granted. Additionally, they have filed for a formal election with the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB), which they plan to withdraw if recognition is achieved by May 1.
In a letter to management, the workers expressed their commitment to improving conditions for those who create the game. They aim to address issues such as protections against layoffs and remote work, guidelines for generative AI use, mandatory crunch time, and a push for greater transparency and equity in the workplace.
Damien Wilson, a senior software development engineer on Arena, stated, “At Wizards, we’re organizing for a say in layoffs, accountability that runs up and down the chain, and a living wage that actually lets people build a life. This isn’t just something that affects Wizards of the Coast; it’s how most American workplaces are set up: investor profit above all, even if it hurts those behind the products we all know and love. Unions are the missing counterweight to protect our craft.”
Hasbro has faced multiple rounds of layoffs in recent years, including cuts of around 1,100 jobs in December 2023 and another 800 earlier that year. More recently, in June 2025, the company laid off an additional 150 employees, with Wizards of the Coast staff being particularly impacted during 2023 and 2024. Although not directly linked to Magic Arena, 30 Wizards of the Coast employees were also let go in March 2025 when the publisher halted development on the Sigil virtual tabletop platform. Despite these challenges, Hasbro has consistently reported that Wizards of the Coast and Magic: The Gathering continue to perform well in their quarterly earnings calls.
After a cyberattack in March, Hasbro delayed its first quarterly earnings report to May 20 but still released a preliminary Q1 2026 earnings report highlighting “growth behind continued strength in Magic: The Gathering.”
As of now, Wizards of the Coast and Hasbro have until May 1 to officially recognize the union. If they do not, the NLRB will facilitate a secret ballot vote among all eligible workers to determine whether to unionize. If a majority votes in favor, the union will be certified.
