Among the workers affected by Bungie’s round of layoffs last October was former chief legal officer Don McGowan, who was the man heading the legal charge against cheat makers and serial harassers for the studio. It appears as if McGowan’s firing was a call to arms, as he now is among those pushing for game devs to unionize in an interview.
McGowan, who has also worked in the entertainment industry, discusses how developers would best benefit from a union structure similar to that of SAG-AFTRA, specifically with the union guaranteeing improved wages without elevating employees to management positions – a tactic he argues sets teams up to fail since most devs want to be paid properly but may not have leadership experience. He also talks up the power of a physical picket line, especially in a world where studios are making RTO mandatory.
However, McGowan also appreciates that words are more challenging than action, as he encourages devs who are burnt out to not feel shame in taking a break and rallies workers to brace for tough times. “There’s a lot of bad news going around right now…and there’s no shame in leaving it for a while and coming back,” he says. “Keep yourself sharp if you think you want to come back, and there’s no shame in just leaving. The company will never love you back, but if you let it, it’ll kill you.”
