Microsoft subsidiary studio Double fine is unionizing, according to a recent petition filed with the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB). After announcing the petition, which was filed Thursday, May 7, Double Fine said it was working with the Communication Workers of America (CWA) to secure union representation.
Double Fine was founded in July 2000 by game designer Tim Schafer after his departure from LucasArts. Since its inception, Double Fine has produced various iconic and eclectic games for players to enjoy, including Psychonauts, Brutal legendand Broken Age. Double Fine was acquired by Microsoft in 2019 in a standalone purchase. Since joining the Xbox umbrella, Double Fine has released additional titles for multiple platforms, including Psychonauts 2 and Keeper.
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Double Fine Announces Union Election Call
After the release of the latest game, a multiplayer brawler title called OvenDouble Fine revealed it took a big step to secure its future amid a troubling time for the gaming industry. As first reported by Aftermath, Double Fine stated that 42 part-time and full-time members would be included in its new union that it is forming in partnership with the CWA. The NLRB petition was filed with the NLRB's regional office in San Francisco, where Double Fine is also located. Double Fine stated that it is seeking a union election along with a voluntary request for recognition from Microsoft. In a statement following the petition, the CWA said: “On May 7, workers at Microsoft studio Double Fine Productions announced their decision to form a union with the CWA to preserve and expand the studio's commitment to creative excellence, diversity and inclusion, and quality of life for workers.”
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The case is still open at the time of writing. If its efforts prove successful, Double Fine would join other companies under the Microsoft umbrella that have successfully joined. Furthermore, Double Fine would also be the first union formed under new Xbox CEO Asha Sharma, who took over after Phil Spencer's retirement in February 2026. Sharma has since added new leaders to help manage the Xbox brand, four of whom previously worked with during his time on Microsoft's CoreAI team. Sharma also announced that development of Copilot on Xbox consoles and mobile devices would cease, as they are not in line with the direction Xbox is going.
Microsoft's history with unions could favor double fines
Following Microsoft's acquisition of Zenimax and Activision Blizzard, several development teams from studios such as Raven Software have worked with the CWA to form their own unions. In August 2025, Diablo development team voted to form a wall-to-wall union of all its members, with over 450 employees on Blizzard's Team 3 counted under the agreement at the time. The Diablo the developers' association followed the successful formation of World of Warcraft Gamemaker's Guild 2024. The World of Warcraft the union included over 500 employees in its California and Massachusetts offices.
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Despite the expiration of Microsoft's previous union neutrality agreement, the CWA stated that Microsoft agreed to maintain its longstanding position of neutrality regarding Double Fine's union efforts. However, it remains to be seen when all involved parties will meet at the negotiating table.
