Nearly 900 Blizzard employees are dissatisfied and are calling for changes. They want higher wages and generally better working conditions.
At Blizzard, the developer of games like World of Warcraft, Diablo, or Overwatch, a new drama is unfolding. Just a few days ago, we reported that Blizzard employees are dissatisfied with their pay, and now specific steps are likely to be taken. Reports indicate that nearly 900 Blizzard employees are currently making demands and wishing for improvements for themselves and their colleagues.
What has happened? According to Bloomberg magazine, nearly 870 Blizzard employees have come together over Slack to discuss workplace issues. Slack is a chat and communication software often used by larger companies. Together, they have drawn up a list of demands. Although these demands are not final yet, Bloomberg has already seen a draft version.
Among the major requests are:
- Changes in how promotions are awarded
- More sick days
- Better pay, especially for employees in customer support and quality assurance
What are the problems? Many employees at Blizzard are currently dissatisfied. After the large wave of layoffs a year ago, many are struggling with the additional responsibilities and tasks. At the same time, some employees report that their pay is too low.
Some employees have stated that they earn only about $40,000 a year. This is slightly less than half of the average household income in Irvine, California – clearly too little to live a decent life there and to support a family by oneself.
This has also led to “mentors leaving in droves”, which is further affecting the morale of everyone.
This is Blizzard’s response: The leadership at Blizzard has also commented on the employees’ plans to submit requests. According to Dustin Blackwell:
We will continue to adjust our compensation to build and retain the workforce that our company needs today and in the future. We understand that some Blizzard employees have specific requests and we look forward to hearing directly from them.
Whether the demands will be met and lead to an improvement in employee morale remains to be seen. Given all the negative headlines about Blizzard in recent years, fairer pay and better conditions would certainly be desirable.
