Blizzard workers vote to unionize as gaming's labor movement powers up

Over 160 employees are largely based in Irvine, where firm's campus is located.

- SUHAUNA HUSSAIN

JAE C. HONG Associated Press.

ACTIVISION BLIZZARD is known for "Call of Duty" and other successful titles.

More than 160 workers at video game company Blizzard Entertainment have voted to unionize.

The workers, who produce in-house cinematics, animation, trailers, promotional videos and other narrative content, are just the latest batch in the video game industry to unionize, with more than 6,000 having organized across the U.S. and Canada.

A wave of organizing in the industry has been driven in recent years by such issues as crunch-time hours before a product releases, job insecurity and workplace harassment.

The newly unionized workers are largely based in Irvine, where Blizzard Entertainment's campus is located. They will join Communications Workers of America Local 9510 in Orange County.