Tony Hawk's developers at rebranded Blizzard Albany announce union plans Eurogamer.net If you click on a link and make a purchase we may receive a small commission. Read our editorial policy. Tony Hawk's developers at rebranded Blizzard Albany announce union plans "We strive to foster work environments where we are respected." News by Tom Phillips Deputy Editor Published on 20 Jul 2022 7 comments QA (quality assurance) staff at Blizzard Albany, the studio behind Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 1+2, have announced plans to unionise. The group, named GWA Albany, has said it is pushing for fairer pay, improved healthcare benefits and more transparency in addressing workplace issues. Addressing crunch is another key demand, with staff asking for the establishment of "reasonable protocols" to address times when they are asked to work extended hours. Watch on YouTube Eurogamer Newscast: In a year short on Sony and Microsoft exclusives, is this the Switch's best yet? This is the second planned unionisation within Activision Blizzard as a whole following the recent, long-running and ultimately successful push by Call of Duty studio Raven Software to win unionisation for QA staff there. Around 20 staff are now organising under the GWA Albany banner. "QA is currently an undervalued discipline in the games and software industries," the group wrote in a statement posted to Twitter. "We strive to foster work environments where we are respected and compensated for our essential role in the development process. Today, we announce a new union at Activision Blizzard.QA is currently an undervalued discipline in the games and software industries. We strive tofoster work environments where we are respected and compensated for our essential role in thedevelopment process. 1/5- GWA Albany (@WeAreGWAAlbany) July 19, 2022 To see this content please enable targeting cookies. Manage cookie settings "We, the QA testers of Blizzard Albany are committed to fostering an open, diverse and equitable workplace. We demand an environment where our skills, ideals, and democratic decisions are valued and respected." Speaking to The Verge, GWA organising committee member Amanda Laven said the group had begun discussing unionisation around the same time as colleagues at Raven, and had been galvanised by their ultimately successful campaign. "They [Activision] have failed [at union busting] and will continue to fail - we are strong together and we know it," Laven said. Activision Blizzard has commented to say it will provide a formal response to the group's proposal soon. Founded in 1991 as Vicarious Visions and bought by Activision Blizzard in 2005, the studio has a long history with some of Activision's most successful franchises past and present: Tony Hawk, Guitar Hero, Skylanders, Destiny and Crash Bandicoot. In 2021, the studio was flipped from Activision to Blizzard, with staff put to work on Diablo 2: Resurrected and the developer's name rebranded to Blizzard Albany. Tony Hawk himself recently revealed that Vicarious Visions had been working on early plans for a Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 3+4 at the time. Sadly, these have now been scrapped. Become a Eurogamer subscriber and get your first month for £1 Get your first month for £1 (normally £3.99) when you buy a Standard Eurogamer subscription. Enjoy ad-free browsing, merch discounts, our monthly letter from the editor, and show your support with a supporter-exclusive comment flair! Support us View supporter archive More News Atari will hold RollerCoaster Tycoon rights for another decade Ups and downs. 7 Lady Dimitrescu will be a tad smaller in Resident Evil Village's Mercenaries DLC Level the playing field. 1 Overwatch 2 suffers another DDoS attack and character roster bugs Mei Mei. 8 Nintendo Switch firmware update lets you take screenshots in the Switch Online app The app on your console, not your phone. 7 Latest Articles Genshin Impact Path of Gleaming Jade dates, login event rewards Including other anniversary rewards and how to claim them. Atari will hold RollerCoaster Tycoon rights for another decade Ups and downs. 7 Jelly Deals Logitech's G Pro X gaming headset is its lowest-ever price during Amazon's Early Access sale Prime Members can get it for just £52. Jelly Deals Save over £500 off the retail price on this beefy ASUS TUF Dash gaming laptop from Amazon Under £1080 for an RTX 3070 laptop. Supporters Only Premium only Off Topic: Take a minute to appreciate Cookin' with Coolio's incredible scallops recipe. What a great book. Premium only Off Topic: Reading City of Glass in comic form "Where exactly am I going?" Premium only Off Topic: Il Buco is a transporting film about a really big hole Underlands. Off-Topic Netflix handled Sandman brilliantly It was Dreamy. 9 Buy things with globes on them And other lovely Eurogamer merch in our official store! Explore our store