Webtagr - Technology News Summarizer

Blizzard's Diablo Team Unions, Citing Layoffs and AI Concerns

2025-09-01

Over 450 Blizzard developers on the Diablo team have successfully unionized with the Communications Workers of America (CWA), following a wave of layoffs at Microsoft. The unionization, fueled by concerns about job security and the increasing use of AI in game development, aims to secure better pay equity, address ethical AI concerns, ensure proper crediting, and advocate for remote work options. The Diablo team joins thousands of other unionized Microsoft game studio workers, highlighting a growing trend of worker organization within the gaming industry in response to corporate restructuring and technological advancements.

(aftermath.site)

Game Game Industry Microsoft Layoffs

Blizzard's Story and Franchise Development Team Unionizes

2025-08-17

160 workers on Blizzard's Story and Franchise Development team, including animators, cinematic producers, narrative team members, and archivists, have unionized, marking the first in-house cinematic, animation, and narrative studio union in North American game industry. The union aims to protect workers from issues like misguided policies and instability resulting from layoffs, and improve workplace conditions. Microsoft, Blizzard's parent company, has recognized the union, in line with a labor neutrality policy agreed to in 2022. This follows recent mass layoffs at Microsoft, highlighting concerns about labor rights in the gaming industry.

(aftermath.site)

Game Union

Gamers Fight Back Against Payment Processor Censorship

2025-08-03

Visa, Mastercard, Stripe, and PayPal's sudden delisting of NSFW games from Itch.io sparked a massive gamer backlash. Players are bombarding payment companies with phone calls, demanding the games' reinstatement. The movement, supported by unions and game developer associations, has yielded some results, with payment company representatives showing shifts in attitude. However, payment companies refuse comment, citing vague policies about "illegal or brand-damaging" activities. The core issue revolves around whether payment processors should censor content and the implications for free speech.

(aftermath.site)

Game

Going Rogue: A TTRPG That Lets You Rewrite Rogue One (and Boycott Disney)

2025-05-25

Jess Levine's tabletop RPG, Going Rogue, inspired by Star Wars' Rogue One and Andor, centers around the guaranteed death of player characters. This mechanic serves as a reflection on the sacrifices and rewards of political action, allowing players to experience the emotional 'bleed' of their characters' dedication and find catharsis often missing in real-life activism. While not explicitly promoting socialism, the game encourages players to confront their feelings about political commitment. Furthermore, in response to Disney's political stances and inclusion on the BDS boycott list, Going Rogue actively encourages players to cancel their Disney+ subscriptions, reclaiming narrative ownership of the Star Wars universe.

(aftermath.site)

Game Tabletop RPG Political Activism

Infinity Nikki's 1.5 Update Sparks Player Backlash: Aggressive Monetization, Broken Gameplay

2025-05-12

Infinity Nikki's 1.5 update has sparked significant player backlash. While introducing multiplayer and customization options, the update also brought numerous bugs, instability, and baffling changes to the story and monetization. Players launched a "girlcott," refusing to play and spend money, flooding Steam with negative reviews. Infold Games' response failed to appease players, who cite increased costs for complete outfits, a new paid currency pushing heavier monetization, and a major story alteration as reasons for their anger. The incident highlights Infold Games' broken trust with its player base and missteps in its in-app purchase design.

(aftermath.site)

Game player boycott gacha

AI's Impact on Game Development: A Developer's Struggle

2025-04-08

The rapid advancement of AI is significantly impacting the game industry, leaving many developers grappling with challenges and anxieties. This article features interviews with various game industry professionals, including artists, designers, and programmers, who share their experiences with AI in the workplace. Some companies are using AI to generate images, code, and voiceovers to cut costs or speed up development, leading to decreased quality and feelings of displacement among human creators. Many developers express reservations or outright opposition to AI, arguing that it cannot replace human creativity and emotional expression. They advocate for protecting the rights of human artists.

(aftermath.site)

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