Strike authorized, no walkout called as contract talks drag past Call of Duty launch
Quality assurance testers at Activision Publishing voted overwhelmingly on October 15 to authorize a strike, after more than two years of contract talks. The vote lets Communications Workers of America President Claude Cummings Jr. call a walkout if negotiations stall.
As of October 28, no strike had been called or dated. Activision says it is still bargaining in good faith, has made progress on several issues, and offered to meet the union on October 21 and 22. The union has not publicly reported what those sessions produced. Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 4 launched worldwide on October 23.
Why it matters
A strike during the Call of Duty launch window would hit Microsoft's most profitable franchise at its most vulnerable moment.
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Activision Quality Assurance Workers Vote to Authorize Strike | Communications Workers of America
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Curated perspectives — historical figures and your fellow readers.
Fictional AI pastiche — not real quote.
"The strike fund has raised nearly eleven thousand dollars, which should buy the workers a very nice lunch, if not a future. And how thoughtful of Activision to offer a meeting just in time for the launch—nothing says “we value you” quite like a deadline."
Fictional AI pastiche — not real quote.
"Eleven thousand dollars in a strike fund—these looters cannot even finance their own parasitic war against the creators of value, yet they dare to hold a gun to the head of a product they did not conceive. Let them walk out; the world will see who builds the future and who merely clings to it."
Union representing quality assurance testers on Activision Publishing's central QA team, organized through three CWA locals.
Major US labor union representing communications, media, and technology workers.
Microsoft-owned publisher behind the Call of Duty franchise.
Owner of Activision Publishing through its gaming division.
2022 October 2026
Activision said it is still bargaining in good faith and has made progress on several issues. No strike had been called as of this report.
Full launch of the franchise's latest title, the most profitable in Activision's portfolio.
Game enters early access, with worldwide launch scheduled for October 23.
Overwhelming vote gives CWA President Claude Cummings Jr. authority to call a strike if talks stall.
AQAU-CWA starts a FreeFunder campaign to support members who lose pay during a possible strike. It had raised almost $11,000 at the time of Vertical Slice's report.
Company offers buyouts to some employees; former union steward Jordan Kunze takes one after his accommodation fight.
AQAU-CWA bargaining committee starts first-contract talks with Activision Publishing.
Nearly 600 workers vote 390-8 to form AQAU-CWA, the largest video game union in the US.
QA testers at the Call of Duty studio become the first successful video game union at a major US studio.
Discussed by: CWA leadership, Aftermath
If the October 21-22 meetings fail to produce progress, CWA President Claude Cummings Jr. could call a strike during or just after the Modern Warfare 4 launch. QA workers say post-launch is when their work is most visible, as player reports surface bugs needing immediate fixes. A strike would disrupt the game's post-launch support at the franchise's most profitable moment.
Discussed by: Activision spokesperson, CWA
Activision has offered to meet October 21-22 and says it has made meaningful progress on several issues. If the company concedes on wages, AI protections, or accommodations, the union could ratify a first contract before a strike becomes necessary. The Blizzard mega-contract from September 2026 provides a template for what is achievable.
Discussed by: Activision spokesperson
The strike authorization is a tool, not a commitment. If negotiations show progress or the union decides a strike would hurt public sympathy, the authorization could expire unused. Activision says it has plans in place to avoid disruption to players and game releases, suggesting it is prepared to weather a strike if one comes.
3 moments from history that rhyme with this story — and how they unfolded.
QA testers at Raven Software, a Call of Duty studio, unionized with the CWA after the company laid off 12 QA workers in December 2021. The vote was 19-3, making it the first successful video game union at a major US studio.
Activision initially refused to recognize the union but later agreed to voluntary recognition.
Set the template for the larger Activision central QA union in 2024.
The current AQAU-CWA union followed the same playbook, organizing QA workers studio by studio.
After years of bargaining, Blizzard's unions secured a studio-wide contract covering hybrid or remote work schedules, layoff protections, AI protections, recall rights, and just-cause language.
Set a new benchmark for video game union contracts.
Gave Activision QA workers a concrete template for what they are demanding.
Activision QA workers cite the Blizzard contract as proof that their demands are achievable.
The Screen Actors Guild-American Federation of Television and Radio Artists struck against major video game studios over AI protections for voice and motion performers. The strike lasted over a year.
Secured AI consent and compensation protections for performers.
Established AI protections as a standard demand in video game labor negotiations.
AI guardrails are a key demand in the Activision QA contract talks.