D&D and MTG Teams Unionize, Demand Hasbro Stop AI Push

What would you do if your boss kept pushing AI tools you never asked for? That's exactly the situation facing the Dungeons & Dragons and Magic: The Gathering teams at Wizards of the Coast — and they've decided to do something about it.

The teams just announced they're unionizing, joining the Wizards of the Coast-CWA (UWOTC-CWA) union that the Arena team formed earlier this year. The Arena team, which works on the online version of Magic: The Gathering, unionized back in April and has already won its union election after months of effort. Now, as of October 8, that union is expanding to include the Dungeons & Dragons team and Team X — the folks behind Magic: The Gathering and Dual Masters.

In a letter of demands, the expanded union is urging Hasbro and Wizards of the Coast leadership to stop pushing generative AI. The petition states plainly: "Leadership, without regard for the desires of our teams, has pushed for adoption of LLMs and generative AI. This has to stop; our teams deserve a robust and enforceable AI policy that aligns with our goals and values." That's a pretty direct shot at the company's direction, and it echoes concerns we've seen across the gaming industry.

The union is giving the company until October 13 to voluntarily recognize the expanded unit. But here's the catch — Wizards didn't voluntarily recognize the union when it was just the Arena team, so this will probably be an uphill battle. If Hasbro refuses, the union will have to file with the NLRB and win another election. Only time will tell how this plays out, especially now that UWOTC-CWA has already proven it can win one election.

Beyond AI, there's another big demand on the table: full ownership of what employees create outside of work. Back in April, the union's announcement letter explained, "Currently, if an employee makes anything creative in their free time, with their own resources, Hasbro may claim ownership. What we do in our free time should not be dictated by the company; neither should what we make in our free time be owned by the company." The new petition reiterates that stance, adding, "Wizards can currently claim ownership over any IP created by employees during their tenure at Wizards, including works that are fully unrelated to Wizards IP. What we make in our free time should belong to us, not the company."

For players, this is more than just internal drama. The D&D and Magic teams are the creative hearts behind some of your favorite games, and how their demands are handled could shape the future of those franchises. If the union succeeds in pushing back against generative AI, it might set a precedent for other studios facing similar pressures. And the fight over personal IP ownership? That's a conversation happening across the entire tech and entertainment world right now.

So, what do you think — will Hasbro voluntarily recognize the union, or are we headed for another NLRB showdown? And how do you feel about AI's role in the games you love? Let us know in the comments.