The United Videogame Workers Union (UVW) has officially been announced, operating in collaboration with the Communications Workers of America union to bring about change in the game development industry in the US and Canada. UVW union says it exists to protect workers against the recent wave of lay-offs happening despite the same companies doing the lay-offs raking in record profits. The UVW's message is summed up as "Enough is enough, it's time for employers to put people over profits," and its list of demands include plans for sustainable growth, an end to "boom and bust hiring cycles," paid time off after lay-offs and advanced notice of lay-offs, and protections against generative AI, which many believe has become an increasingly real threat to the livelihoods of creative professionals, especially in the video game industry.

The creation of the UVW union comes hot on the heels of a recently leaked Sony tech demo that showed off Aloy from Horizon: Zero Dawn and Forbidden West completely controlled by an AI. While Sony says the AI-powered tech demo was not meant for public consumption, and clarified in a statement to Ashley Burch, the voice actor behind the character, that it wasn't something that was being developed for commercial use, the clip still sparked controversy, with many gamers vehemently rejecting the idea of replacing voice actors with AI. The recent trend in video game lay-offs has also proven to be an ongoing problem plaguing the gaming industry. According to one independent tracker, 2024 saw at least 182 companies lay off a total of over 14,000 employees, with 2025 continuing the trend with over 600 employees losing their jobs in the first quarter alone. The protections sought by the UVW union would seemingly disincentivize companies from laying off staff unless entirely necessary, and the union also seeks to make it so that formerly laid-off staff are given preference when a new round of hiring takes place.

"We are going to create a game industry that works for us, one that nourishes its talent and invests in its future, rather than constantly seeking short-term profits. We are the ones that make the games, so we must be the ones that set the terms of how we work."

A full list of the UVW union's demands:

• Sustainable growth instead of short term boom and bust hiring cycles.
• Advanced notice before layoffs.
• Paid time off following layoffs.
• Improved severance pay.
• Extended health insurance coverage for laid off workers.
• Recall rights - those who are let go get priority when the company starts hiring again.
• Worker control over decisions to use generative AI