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Around 1,900 unionized Blizzard Entertainment employees, represented by the Communications Workers of America, voted to ratify their first contract with Microsoft after years of negotiations. The deal secures guaranteed wage increases, greater workplace flexibility, layoff protections, and notably requires Blizzard to bargain with staff over the use of generative AI in game development. The agreement is being described as potentially setting an industry-first standard that other video game unions could use as a blueprint, marking a significant milestone in ongoing labor organizing efforts across the games industry.