Activision employees who oversee quality control for Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 recently protested the company's return-to-office policy by staging a walkout. Growing resentment about the policy's effect on Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 developers who depend on remote work accommodations propelled the strike, which was backed by the Communications Workers of America (CWA).

Activision ended years of remote and hybrid work options earlier this year when it imposed a rigorous return-to-office policy on the quality assurance (QA) team at its Eden Prairie, Minnesota studio. The biggest union at Activision denounced the action as a "soft layoff." This move to in-office work has proven particularly challenging for workers with accessibility needs or medical concerns, resulting in a persistent conflict that escalated last Friday in conjunction with the release of Call of Duty: Black Ops 6.

Activision's employee advocacy group ABetterABK, which is supported by the CWA, released a statement last Friday regarding the company's return-to-office policy, calling it "unequal" and claiming that it has unjustly impacted employees with disabilities and those who need remote work accommodations. According to the CWA, Activision's policy requires in-office work even for people with severe medical conditions who have requested to work from home on a doctor's recommendation. ABetterABK claims that the company's persistent refusal to grant these requests for flexibility is harming workers' well-being and fostering a challenging work environment.

The Company's Position On Remote Work Is Contradicted By An Internal Activision Email.

A recent internal Activision email commemorating National Disability Employment Awareness Month served as more impetus for the strike. According to ABetterABK, the email's image of a disabled person working remotely runs counter to the company's policy of not allowing employees with medical issues to work remotely. The same QA personnel who participated in the protest also worked on Activision's most lucrative game, Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2, which was totally done remotely, according to ABetterABK reps.

In a recent comment to Eurogamer, an Activision representative acknowledged that returning to work has been "an adjustment for some." Activision personnel have yet to report any significant policy adjustments despite the company's statement that it is still involved in a "interactive process" with those who have requested accommodations. The recent unionization of World of Warcraft developers at Blizzard and Bethesda Game Studios suggests that the gaming industry is going through a significant shift in worker rights. Furthermore, it is not surprising given that the industry has already experienced an estimated 13,000 layoffs in 2024 and shows no signs of slowing down.