Video Game Developers Power Up a High-Stakes Unionizing Campaign

It was 1 a.m. and RJ Reyes was driving down a Los Angeles freeway when he realized he’d had enough.

The sleep-deprived video game developer felt his eyes grow heavy. And his car veered suddenly.

There was no collision but the scare left him with a realization: His job at a small indie gaming studio with its long hours and low pay was demanding too much. “I’m practically killing myself,” he said.

“That’s when I realized, you know, not only is it not healthy, it’s not smart,” Reyes said. “I left shortly after I found myself swerving on the road.” ...