IGN creates a union
Employees of the video game publication IGN have announced the creation of a union, which was supported by the vast majority of editorial and creative staff. The union, which will have about 80 members, will become one of the largest trade unions in the world’s game journalism industry, writes Aftermath.
The IGN union, called the IGN Creators Guild, is merging with the News Guild. IGN’s parent company, Ziff Davis, currently has another union, the Ziff Davis Creators Guild, also affiliated with the News Guild.
“We need fair and competitive pay for all, including those who are asked to live and work in some of the most expensive cities in the United States; affordable health insurance; and better diversity, equity, and inclusion across the board,” the Guild wrote in their mission statement. “We need protection against layoffs amid a hectic media landscape, guarantees of reasonable compensation when those layoffs cannot be avoided, as well as protections against generative AI and similar technologies.”
Max Scoville, a senior video producer and host who has worked at IGN for nine years, wrote in a press release that while he is immensely proud of the work he and his colleagues have done, it is time for the company to move on.
“IGN is already an industry leader in entertainment media but it’s crucial that we ensure it also continues to be a bastion for the human beings who give it a voice,” Scoville wrote, ““There is loads of exceptional reporting, criticism, and creative work happening around games right now, but games journalism is still in its infancy compared to more traditional media in many ways—the relatively limited number of unionized games media sites compared to unionized print newsrooms is one clear example of this.”
IGN editor Tom Marks, a member of the IGN Creators Guild, said:
“Obviously we won’t be the only ones, but you’re right that we will be one of the largest, and I’d be lying if I said I didn’t hope this inspires other folk to ask for their own seat at the table.”