For game client programmers I think this is the case, though experienced devs are hard to find and retain. The gaming industry really hits issues when trying to attract non-engine devs, infrastructure and server specifically. Due to the portability of these skills to... much better industry sub-segments a lot of talent here just jumps ship and leaves.

As a former server-side game dev I was always supportive of my co-worker's rights (QA & Art in particular have a _terrible_ time) and I think this is where pressure to unionize is likely to originate.

The reality is a lot more complicated than that. Certain entry-level art roles are pretty fungible, for instance, and most of them are already contract positions or outsourced to other studios (in places like Eastern Europe and Southeast Asia). However, beyond a certain level of experience and in some cases, entire disciplines, there is a dearth of quality candidates. Experienced developers, who have a good reputation, do have leverage but usually not to the extent to equalize comp with what one would see outside the industry. I've seen studios have critical roles go unfilled for the better part of a year for lack of qualified candidates at the budget set aside for them.

> And for AAA titles they're basically fungible.

I would have thought it was the opposite, and to produce a AAA title you'd need the very talented people - the experts - and they have more leverage to negotiate.

As I understood it, actual developers was the category least impacted by these layoffs at Activision.

The more people that could be even potential union members, the stronger the union's negotiating position is.