Microsoft subsidiary studio double fine They are forming a union, according to a recent petition filed with the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB). After announcing the petition, which was filed on Thursday, May 7, Double Fine said it was working with the Communication Workers of America (CWA) to ensure union representation.
Double Fine was founded in July 2000 by game designer Tim Schafer, who left LucasArts. Since its founding, Double Fine has created a variety of iconic and diverse games for players to enjoy. psychopath, cruel legendand broken times. Double Fine was acquired by Microsoft in an independent purchase in 2019. Since joining the Xbox umbrella, Double Fine has released additional titles for multiple platforms, including: Psychonaut 2 and concierge.
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Double Fine Announces Union Election Petition
Following the release of the latest game, a multiplayer fighting game title, kilnDouble Fine says it is taking important steps to secure its future amid difficult times for the gaming industry. As first reported by Aftermath, Double Fine said the new union it is forming in partnership with CWA will include 42 part-time and full-time members. The NLRB petition was filed with the NLRB's local branch in San Francisco, where Double Fine is located. Double Fine announced that it is pursuing a labor union election along with Microsoft's request for voluntary recognition. “On May 7, employees of Microsoft Studio Double Fine Productions announced their decision to form a union with CWA to preserve and expand the studio’s commitment to creative excellence, diversity, inclusion, and quality of life for its employees,” CWA said in a statement following the petition.
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As of this writing, the case is still ongoing. If this effort is successful, Double Fine would join other companies under Microsoft that have successfully unionized. Double Fine will also be the first union to form under new Xbox CEO Asha Sharma, who took over following Phil Spencer's retirement in February 2026. Sharma has since added new leaders to help manage the Xbox brand, four of whom previously worked together on the Microsoft CoreAI team. Sharma also announced that Copilot development on Xbox consoles and mobile devices would be shutting down as it was inconsistent with the direction Xbox was heading.
Microsoft's history with unions may favor double fines
After Microsoft's acquisition of Zenimax and Activision Blizzard, several development teams from studios such as Raven Software teamed up with CWA to establish their own union. In August 2025 diablo The development team voted to form a full union of all members, including more than 450 employees of Blizzard Team 3, as agreed at the time. that diablo After the successful formation of the developer union world of warcraft Game Maker Guild in 2024. world of warcraft The union has more than 500 employees across offices in California and Massachusetts.
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The CWA said Microsoft had long agreed to maintain a neutral stance regarding Double Fine's unionization efforts, despite the expiration of Microsoft's previous union neutrality agreement. However, it remains to be seen when all relevant parties will gather at the negotiating table.
