Activision Blizzard converting all game-testing temps into full-time employees

Activision Blizzard will convert all US-based game testers on temporary contracts to full-time employees, with an improved $20/hour salary and access to full company benefits.

Almost 1100 staff will benefit from the change from 1st January – although this will not apply to staff at Call of Duty studio Raven who are currently seeking unionisation.

Activision has said it is “prohibited from making new kinds of compensation changes at Raven at this time” due to “legal obligations under the National Labor Relations Act” (thanks, The Verge).

The move follows months of employee action surrounding the rights of contract-based QA workers, who are employed en masse to test Activision’s never-ending array of Call of Duty content.

Just before Christmas, Activision laid off a third of QA staff attached to Raven.

Activision confirmed its changes in an email shared with employees last night, and said that the way Call of Duty was now released – via an “always on” model – had prompted this change.

“During the last two years, Call of Duty has expanded and evolved,” Activsion exec Josh Taub wrote. “Our development cycles have gone from an annual release to an ‘always on’ model. In response to greater engagement, we’ve increased our live services business across all platforms. Our offerings now encompass season passes, operators, and the awesome content available in our stores. We’ve also grown our workforce and support across our studios, along with exciting new plans on mobile.