Game Workers Conference
@gameworkerscon.bsky.social
Online May 22-23, 2026! A new game industry event by and for the countless workers who make this massively influential industry and artistic medium succeed.
Organizing starts by talking to your coworkers about your working conditions. Zenimax Workers United-CWA members show how they won historic contract protections that are being used today as workers rally against layoffs at Xbox this month. Watch the full video here: www.youtube.com/watch?v=htkT...
The Story of Zenimax Workers United
YouTube video by Game Workers Con
youtube.com
Next week, unionized workers at Bethesda Game Studios will rally across their four studio locations to demand fair treatment amid mass Xbox layoffs. https://kotaku.com/bethesda-workers-rallies-next-week-protesting-mass-layoffs-2000714247
Bethesda Union Workers To Protest Mass Layoffs Next Week
'The company wants us to accept this as a done deal and quietly disappear. We won't let that happen'
kotaku.com
Talks from the 2026 conference are being uploaded onto our youtube channel over the coming weeks! Check out this year's keynote address from UVW-CWA Local 9433 President Aurelia Augusta on why we are entering the era of the Game Worker! Watch the full video here: www.youtube.com/watch?v=tzhL...
The Era of the Game Worker
YouTube video by Game Workers Con
youtube.com
HEALTHCARE TOWN HALL IS TONIGHT. SEE YOU THERE!
Game Workers Conference@gameworkerscon.bsky.social · 2mo agoDid you know? @videogameworkers.bsky.social is holding a ✨Healthcare Townhall✨ June 8th at 5PM PT / 8PM ET! Game workers deserve healthcare. UVW is working on solutions and we need your input. Join us: actionnetwork.org/events/healt...
It's been so exciting going over photos from our Game Workers Conference watch parties over the past few weeks. If anyone has any photos or videos from your own watch parties or Game Workers Conference experiences, please send them our way!
🚨 Our Healthcare Town Hall is in ONE WEEK!!!! 🚨 Game workers in the US, we'd love to hear from you about the current challenges you face securing insurance and get your feedback on a couple of the things we've got cookin'. Registration link is here 👇
Game Workers Conference@gameworkerscon.bsky.social · 2mo agoDid you know? @videogameworkers.bsky.social is holding a ✨Healthcare Townhall✨ June 8th at 5PM PT / 8PM ET! Game workers deserve healthcare. UVW is working on solutions and we need your input. Join us: actionnetwork.org/events/healt...
Hard to believe Game Workers Conference was one week ago! How did we do for this first go around?
For those who checked out our Rockstar Game Workers Union talk last Saturday, they've just publicly launched their union with a brand new video and socials. You can support them by donating to their legal fund: actionnetwork.org/fundraising/... And if you work at Rockstar, you can join the union!
RSGWU@rsgworkersunion.bsky.social · 2mo agoGTA fans have been on the edge of their seats at the rumours a new video is about to drop… Well the wait is over. We present: the public launch of the Rockstar IWGB Game Workers Union. Our platform, to tell our story. youtu.be/iLOq_6rOpoM
Congrats and thanks to all speakers and organisers who made this event possible! And big thank you to all who organised and/or attended a watch party. We had such interesting discussions during the lunch break and after the talks.
Game Workers Conference@gameworkerscon.bsky.social · 2mo agoThank you to everyone who tuned into our first ever Game Workers Conference! Onto next year! Conference streams are still freely available Day 1: www.youtube.com/live/CFF97Oj... Day 2: www.youtube.com/live/3e1yOhV... And please fill out our feedback form: gameworkersconference.org/feedback-form
If you enjoyed the talk and want to dig into it more, my PhD dissertation on Gamergate and fascism is available for free online here: spectrum.library.concordia.ca/id/eprint/98...
Bringing Politics Into It: Organizing at the Intersection of Videogames and Academia - Spectrum: Concordia University Research Repository
spectrum.library.concordia.ca
Game Workers Conference@gameworkerscon.bsky.social · 2mo agoCarolyn Jong, on how employers are, in fact, the ones benefitting the most when gaming audiences direct their anger towards vulnerable game workers, and how that produces a chilling effect that can undermine organizing efforts.
If you haven't watched the @gameworkerscon.bsky.social streams yet, you've missed out on some really good talks, not just about unions, but also taking care of yourself, and the people around you. youtu.be/CFF97OjUEtk youtu.be/3e1yOhVyMfw
Game Workers Conference 2026 Day 1 (FULL STREAM)
YouTube video by Game Workers Con
youtu.be
Thank you to everyone who tuned into our first ever Game Workers Conference! Onto next year! Conference streams are still freely available Day 1: www.youtube.com/live/CFF97Oj... Day 2: www.youtube.com/live/3e1yOhV... And please fill out our feedback form: gameworkersconference.org/feedback-form
Really good breakdown of the process of talking to your coworkers in this talk from Zenimax Workers United
Did you know? @videogameworkers.bsky.social is holding a ✨Healthcare Townhall✨ June 8th at 5PM PT / 8PM ET! Game workers deserve healthcare. UVW is working on solutions and we need your input. Join us: actionnetwork.org/events/healt...
We are back from break with United Videogame Workers Freelancing Committee! Come join the stream: www.youtube.com/watch?v=3e1y...
The Game Workers Conference 2026 (Day 2)
YouTube video by Game Workers Con
youtube.com
Everyone please wish Alison and the rest of Blizzard SFD good luck, they've just started sessions with their bargaining committee, so the work is just beginning!
From @gameworkerscon.bsky.social: DOWN WITH "FUCK YOU, I GOT MINE" BRING BACK GIVING A SHIT ✊✊✊
This talk is so good! Required reading for all developers, and triple for those who feel powerless and alone
Game Workers Conference@gameworkerscon.bsky.social · 2mo agoCarolyn Jong, on how employers are, in fact, the ones benefitting the most when gaming audiences direct their anger towards vulnerable game workers, and how that produces a chilling effect that can undermine organizing efforts.
Carolyn Jong, on how employers are, in fact, the ones benefitting the most when gaming audiences direct their anger towards vulnerable game workers, and how that produces a chilling effect that can undermine organizing efforts.
one of the great things about pre-recording conference talks like this is, as conference organizers, sometimes you get a big reveal early because of the magic of time travel
We're picking up from break in about 45 minutes with our games journalist panel! What a great time to join the stream: www.youtube.com/watch?v=3e1y...
Aftermath@aftermath.site · 3mo agoThe first-ever Game Workers Conference is taking place right now! We're hearing that there's one talk in particular you won't want to miss
In their talk, Palestinian Voices in Games highlighted a number of projects from Palestinian creators. Here, they are talking about Rasheed Abuideh's Dream on a Pillow
From the No Games for Genocide talk: "And this is just a reminder of what we can accomplish if we come together. Something like a boycott, it doesn't make an impact when there's one of us, but when it's all of us working together, we're able to create something more powerful."
Really interesting to hear about the specific organizing challenges in other countries. In Brazil, many game workers are forced to incorporate if they work as independent contractors. This makes them ineligible for many worker protections, since they are classified as a company.
Learning about works councils and unionization in Germany from Ver.di also learning how to pronounce "Dienstleistungsgewerkschaft"
IWGB Game Workers gives us an update on the Rockstar Games Workers Union: "as you can see, rumours of the Rockstar Games Workers Union's death have been greatly exaggerated. The support we've received from all areas has been one of the most invigorating parts of this whole situation."
As you're watching today's talks, here are some common themes to be thinking about, courtesy of Emma Kinema "I'd encourage us to be thinking about the need to form connection and solidarity across workplaces, disciplines, issues, and borders."
We're about to kick off Day 2 of the Game Worker's Conference in 10 minutes! Come join the stream here: www.youtube.com/watch?v=3e1y... Did you know--our intro animation was made entirely through union members volunteering their time?