Double Fine developers petition to form union at Microsoft

Workers at the Microsoft-owned game studio Double Fine filed a petition with the National Labor Relations Board on May 7 to form a union. The group of 42 regular and part-time employees is seeking both an election and voluntary recognition from the company. The effort is backed by the Communications Workers of America.

The announcement came shortly after the release of the studio's latest game, Kiln, which launched on Game Pass. Double Fine is known for titles such as Psychonauts and was acquired by Microsoft in 2018. The petition marks the first union drive at a standalone Xbox studio under new CEO Asha Sharma.

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Xbox executives announce return to Xbox branding and reevaluation of game exclusivity in a company meeting.
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Xbox drops Microsoft Gaming name and reevaluates exclusivity

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Xbox CEO Asha Sharma and chief content officer Matt Booty announced the gaming division is reverting from 'Microsoft Gaming' to simply 'Xbox.' In a memo shared on Xbox Wire following an all-hands meeting, they addressed player frustrations and pledged to reevaluate the approach to game exclusivity. The move signals a renewed focus on console as the foundation amid broader platform ambitions.

Double Fine, the studio behind Psychonauts and Keeper, has revealed a release date for its multiplayer online party brawler Kiln. The game launches on April 23 across Xbox Series X/S, Xbox on PC, Xbox Cloud, PlayStation 5 and Steam, with day-one availability on Xbox Game Pass Ultimate.

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Xbox's chief content officer Matt Booty revealed that studios under the Xbox umbrella collaborate by sharing skills and technology. Examples include Blizzard assisting with cinematics for Playground Games' Fable reboot and Rare's Sea of Thieves team helping Double Fine with its upcoming game Kiln. Booty described this as a 'culture of cultures' where teams support each other without altering their identities.

Ubisoft has reached a confidential settlement with 61 former employees from its Halifax studio, who unionized before the studio closed. The union members voted overwhelmingly in favor of the deal, as announced by CWA Canada. Developers praised the company for respecting the union during negotiations.

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Subsidiary studios of publisher Nacon, including GreedFall: The Dying World developer Spiders, have filed for insolvency this week amid unpaid bills. French video game union Syndicat des Travailleuses du Jeu Vidéo blames Nacon's management for mismanagement and sabotaging viable teams. The crisis follows recent game launches and Nacon's own debt proceedings.

Microsoft has appointed Asha Sharma as CEO of Microsoft Gaming following the retirement of Phil Spencer and the departure of Sarah Bond. The move comes amid concerns over Xbox's direction and a focus on AI integration. Sources suggest varying interpretations, from a potential turnaround to a gradual wind-down of the division.

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Xbox CEO Asha Sharma stated she has not yet decided on returning to console exclusives, opting for a data-driven approach. In an interview and open letter released on April 24, Sharma and content chief Matt Booty outlined plans to fortify Game Pass, invest in hardware affordability, and establish a predictable content cadence. The announcements coincide with a new Xbox logo and leaks of a Game Pass Starter Edition.

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