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Double Fine Studio Employees Form Union
9 May
Summary
- Double Fine filed for unionization with the NLRB on May 7.
- The union aims to preserve creative excellence and worker quality of life.
- Microsoft has maintained a neutral stance on the unionization efforts.
Double Fine, a studio owned by Microsoft and known for the Psychonauts series, has taken steps to unionize. On May 7, 2026, the studio filed a petition with the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) to form a union with the Communications Workers of America (CWA). This effort includes all 42 regular part-time and full-time employees.
The CWA stated that the union's formation is intended to "preserve and extend" the studio's existing commitments to creative quality, diversity, and employee well-being. Workers are seeking voluntary recognition from Microsoft, while also pursuing an NLRB election for formal union representation. The union has acknowledged Microsoft's neutral and non-interfering approach to these organizing activities.
Double Fine's decision aligns with a broader trend of unionization among Microsoft-owned game studios. Previously, over 500 employees at Blizzard's World of Warcraft team, nearly 200 from the Overwatch team, and quality assurance staff at ZeniMax Studios have successfully unionized with the CWA. Additionally, more than 450 Diablo developers at Blizzard voted to unionize in August 2025.
Double Fine became a part of Microsoft in 2019. Since then, under Xbox Game Studios, the developer has released titles such as Psychonauts 2, Keeper, and Kiln.
