Empowerment Amidst the Storm: Union Formation in Polish Gaming Industry

In a volatile environment, game developers at CD Projekt Red — a renowned Polish gaming studio that has brought us powerful narratives like The Witcher trilogy and Cyberpunk 2077 — have shown remarkable resilience. They have formed a union: the Polish Gamedev Workers Union (PGWU). Echoing the sentiments of workers worldwide, this group is an extension of the national union OZZ Inicjatywa Pracownicza and welcomes game developers from across Poland. 

Games development isn't all about creating immersive stories; it's a serious profession with its highs and lows. 2023, in particular, has been fanatical with its waves of job cuts. According to the PGWU website, the seed of unionization sprouted following the layoffs around this timeframe. CD Projekt canned approximately 100 employees, which represented about 9% of the company's workforce. CEO Adam Kicinski reasoned these job cuts as an offshoot of the company's "deep transformations."

Living under the sword of Damocles, the remaining roster found these layoffs nerve-wracking and distressing. Their precarity affected mental health and eventually led to the birth of PGWU. The union's creation implies improved security, increased transparency, and a more robust crisis-management voice. The creative minds resorted to the union's strength to pursue their passion for developing state-of-the-art games! 

A closer look at the gaming industry's landscape reveals a disturbing trend, with large-scale layoffs having become a norm. Reports suggest that the number of people laid off from gaming companies in 2023 alone is an astounding 6,100! CD Projekt itself reduced its team working on The Witcher spin-off (Project Sirius) and Gwent. Other significant entities, such as Unity and Embracer Group, also announced considerable layoffs and closures. 

Drawing curtains over this discourse, the formation of the PGWU signals a new dawn in the gaming industry – a more respectful workplace for developers. The union advocates that such mass exodus is detrimental to the gaming world. To conserve and advance the industry's thriving potential, they back unionization as their armor. Amid heightened insecurity and stress, the developers have taken an empowering step towards dignified work conditions. It is astute of them to realize that unity is strength!