The Gathering Arena Devs are Unionizing

The developers of Magic: The Gathering Arena are officially moving to unionize, citing protection from layoffs and measures against generative AI as major factors. More than 100 Magic Arena developers have reportedly already signed on with the movement.

Wizards of the Coast, the creator of the massively popular trading card game, has not been safe from the layoff trends that have ravaged the gaming industry. Parent company Hasbro rolled out a major wave of layoffs in 2023 connected to Wizards of the Coast, with more than 1,100 employees affected, including Magic and Dungeons and Dragons designers. Wizards of the Coast has been subject to layoffs as recently as March 2025, with most of the team working on the digital Dungeons and Dragons client Sigil laid off. Now, employees of Wizards of the Coast are seeking safeguards not only from layoffs, but also the growing trends in generative AI.

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Wizards of the Coast Employees Are Unionizing

A group of Wizards of the Coast employees officially announced their intent to unionize on April 27. The group reportedly includes a mix of more than 100 employees lobbying to join the Communication Workers of America, including game designers, programmers, artists, and other roles. The group’s formal petition to Wizards of the Coast cited layoff and remote work protection among the biggest factors behind the push, as well as measures against generative AI and a push for “sustainable workloads.” Wizards of the Coast designer Rogue Kessler spoke in an interview about the remote-work stipulations, stating that these clauses come in response to a recent mandate for workers to relocate to Wizards’ Seattle offices.

The growth of generative AI stands as one of the biggest drivers behind the unionization efforts for many artists involved in the movement. Software engineer Valentine Powell spoke on the implementation of AI in games like Dungeons and Dragons, feeling that AI-generated content “has shown worse results.” Powell also cited the potential impact of a greater use of generative AI, with Wizards of the Coast likely losing skilled artists who have shown a clear passion for the game. The petition came with a request for voluntary recognition of a union at Wizards of the Coast, with the group threatening to bring the movement to the National Labor Relations Board after May 1.

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The new unionization efforts at Wizards of the Coast come as the company has already found itself in hot water over its use of AI. Both Hasbro and Wizards of the Coast have previously admitted to using AI-generated art in advertising campaigns for Magic: The Gathering and Dungeons and Dragons. Magic has seen particular scrutiny from fans over some of its artwork, including allegations about AI-generated artwork being used in the game’s Avatar the Last Airbender crossover.

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Wizards of the Coast looks to have a busy year ahead in 2026, with major plans for its most well-known brands. Magic: The Gathering has already released three new expansions during the first months of 2026, with new crossovers like The Hobbit and Star Trek coming later in the year. Dungeons and Dragons has several new books coming in 2026 as well, including major expansions with Ravenloft: The Horrors Within and Arcana Unleashed. Fans of Wizards of the Coast should keep an eye on the company throughout the year, with plenty on the way from the multimedia juggernaut.