Avalanche Studios, the developer behind the Just Cause series, has officially unionised, with around 100 staff set to be covered by a new collective bargaining agreement. Per details shared in a press release, the agreement will apply to all Avalanche Studios employees in Sweden, and will standardise a firm framework “around essential areas such as salaries, benefits, employee influence and career support.”
The move is designed to protect employee security and stability, and is being taken with the support of studio management and local organisations Unionen and Engineers of Sweden. Exact details of the collective bargaining agreement have not been confirmed yet, as it will be developed carefully over the coming months.
“Over the past years, we’ve taken significant steps toward making Avalanche one of the best workplaces in the games industry,” Stefanía Halldórsdóttir, CEO of Avalanche Studios said. “Our inclusive, warm, and welcoming culture, sound work-life balance, profit sharing, and parental leave policy – just to name a few – are a testament to that.”
Read: Sega of America union ratifies its first contract
“These are all things that set us apart and allow us to focus on making great games. We hope that signing a CBA will be yet another step in that same direction. It’s important for us to approach the transition in the right way. This is why we’re not rushing the implementation of the CBA. We’ll use the coming months to carry out the necessary work in a careful, structured, and non-disruptive manner – all while continuing the development of several new and existing games.”
The collective bargaining agreement is expected to be implemented by the second quarter of 2025, with allowances in the contract covering a range of new employee protections. Given the recent slate of studio closures and mass layoffs in the games industry, there’s hope this new agreement will allow for a much-needed sense of security, protecting the careers of Avalanche Studios employees.
With this move, Avalanche joins a growing list of game developers unionising to protecting their workplace rights. Recently, members of Sega of America unionised, as did some members of CD Projekt Red. We’re likely to see more union efforts in the coming months, as game developers work to ensure the future of their careers.
