Workers behind Magic: The Gathering Arena at Wizards of the Coast have launched a formal campaign to unionize, marking a significant labor push within the popular digital card game’s team. The effort seeks stronger protections and a greater voice in decisions affecting their roles at the studio behind the hit title.
An open letter reveals that United Wizards of the Coast—a collective of laborers spanning game designers, programmers, producers, artists, and more at the studio behind Magic: The Gathering Arena—has secured a public supermajority of support among employees. The organization, which is affiliating with the Communications Workers of America, is urging Wizards of the Coast and its parent company Hasbro to voluntarily recognize the union by May 1.
Magic: The Gathering Arena, launched several years ago, has become a cornerstone of player engagement with the Magic: The Gathering franchise. The platform allows fans worldwide to play the strategic card game digitally, featuring regular updates, events, and a vibrant competitive scene. Its success has been instrumental in driving revenue growth for Wizards of the Coast, with the broader Magic: The Gathering brand reporting significant increases in recent financial reports despite broader company challenges.
The union drive highlights ongoing tensions in the video game and tabletop gaming sectors, where issues such as job security, work-life balance, and technological changes are increasingly prompting organized labor actions. By forming United Wizards of the Coast, the MTG Arena team aims to foster better staff retention, promote transparency, and ensure equity within the workplace, ultimately leading to higher quality products for the gaming community.
United Wizards of the Coast listed several key reasons for seeking unionization, with major emphasis on layoff protections, remote work safeguards, and measures addressing generative AI. The group is pushing for improved treatment of its members and argues that leadership decisions at Hasbro and Wizards of the Coast often fail to align with employee values.
As the unionization process unfolds, the group has indicated they have filed a petition with the National Labor Relations Board for a formal election, though they are prepared to withdraw it should voluntary recognition be granted. They are also calling for the company to commit to neutrality during the process.
Hasbro, the parent company of Wizards of the Coast, has gone through multiple rounds of layoffs in recent years. These reductions created widespread uncertainty among staff. In 2023, the company implemented significant job cuts across its operations. More recently, additional layoffs affected Wizards of the Coast teams in 2024 and 2025. Despite these changes, Magic: The Gathering products have maintained strong performance.
