A Microsoft subsidiary studio Double penalty is unionizing, according to a recent petition filed with the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB). Following the announcement of the petition, which was filed on 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 created a variety of iconic and eclectic games for players to enjoy, including Psychonauts, Brutal legendand A broken age. Double Fine was acquired by Microsoft in a separate purchase in 2019. Since joining the Xbox umbrella, Double Fine has released additional titles for various platforms, including Psychonauts 2 and Keeper.
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Double fine announces union election petition
After launching its latest game, a rowdy multiplayer title called FurnaceDouble Fine has revealed that it is taking a major step to help secure its future at a time of concern for the gaming industry. As first reported by Aftermath, Double Fine said 42 part-time and full-time members will be included in its new union, which it is creating 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 said it is seeking union elections along with a voluntary request for recognition from Microsoft. In a statement following the petition, the CWA said, “On May 7, workers at Microsoft Double Fine Productions announced their decision to form a union with the CWA to preserve and expand the studio's commitments 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 merged. Double Fine would also be the first union to form under new Xbox CEO Asha Sharma, who takes over after Phil Spencer retires in February 2026. Sharma has since added new leaders to help drive the Xbox brand, four of whom she previously worked with during her time on Microsoft's CoreAI team. Sharma also announced that development of Copilot on Xbox consoles and mobile devices will end as they are not in line with the direction Xbox is taking.
Microsoft's history with unions may favor a double fine
Following Microsoft's buyout of Zenimax and Activision Blizzard, several development teams from studios like Raven Software worked with the CWA to form their own unions. In August 2025, Diablo the development team voted to form a union made up of all its members, with more than 450 employees in Blizzard's Team 3 counted at the time as part of the agreement. The Diablo The developers' union followed up on the successful creation World of Warcraft Gamemaker's Guild in 2024 World of Warcraft Union included more than 500 employees across its offices in California and Massachusetts.
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Despite the expiration of Microsoft's previous union neutrality agreement, the CWA said Microsoft has agreed to maintain its long-standing neutral position regarding Double Fine's unionization efforts. However, it remains to be seen when all the parties involved will meet at the negotiating table.
