After experiencing their third round of layoffs within three months, CD Projekt Red’s developers are taking action by establishing a union for Polish game developers.
The staff at CDPR are tired of the way developers are being treated and as such have formed a union. This union was formed as a means of “improving their workplace/industry standards in a way that has legal power and amplifies their voices”.
The Polish Gamedev Workers Union (PGWU) is affiliated with the national union OZZ Inicjatywa Pracownicza and welcomes developers employed at other studios in Poland.
The union will include developers from across the Polish video game industry, providing a platform for these individuals to unite.
The PGWU website stated:
“We started talking about unionizing after the 2023 wave of layoffs. This event created a tremendous amount of stress and insecurity. Affecting our mental health and leading to the creation of this union in response. Having a union means having more security, transparency, better protection, and a stronger voice in times of crisis.
While employees are the ones creating value in this arrangement, they lack any decision power in company-structure-related matters. That is why we need to organise to enter those situations on equal footing. We believe that the mass lay-offs are a danger to the gamedev industry and we believe that unionising is a way for us to preserve the industry’s potential.”
In an interview with the movement’s founders, Lev Ki and Paweł Myszka, mentioned that they have not yet received any response from CDPR management. However, they have already submitted all the required legal documents, ensuring that the executive team is aware of the union’s formation.
CD Projekt terminated the employment of 29 employees at its Molasses Flood studio, which was involved in developing The Witcher spin-off under the codename Project Sirius. Additionally, they disclosed that approximately 30 employees working on Gwent would also be subjected to layoffs.
In May, Unity initiated layoffs affecting 600 employees and revealed intentions to shutter half of its offices. In June, Embracer Group announced substantial workforce reductions and the closure of several studios. News of layoffs at Telltale Games also emerged just recently.
These recent layoffs represent only a fraction of the approximately 6,100 individuals who have lost their jobs in the gaming industry in 2023.
This action demonstrates that the developers and employees have reached a breaking point due to their perceived mistreatment by the companies involved. They are now determined to safeguard their rights and well-being while continuing to pursue their passion.