The designers, artists, writers, and producers behind Dungeons & Dragons, Magic: The Gathering, and Duel Masters have announced their intent to unionise, joining the United Wizards of the Coast-CWA (UWOTC-CWA) banner formed earlier this year by the MTG Arena development team. In a public petition, the expanded union has demanded that Wizards of the Coast and its parent company Hasbro stop pushing generative AI tools into the creative process.
“Leadership, without regard for the desires of our teams, has pushed for adoption of LLMs and generative AI,” the union wrote. “This has to stop; our teams deserve a robust and enforceable AI policy that aligns with our goals and values.”
How the Union Expanded
The UWOTC-CWA was originally formed in May 2026 by the MTG Arena development team, operating under the umbrella of the Communications Workers of America. On 6 October, the D&D development team and Studio X — responsible for Magic: The Gathering and Duel Masters — announced they were joining the same bargaining unit.
If Wizards of the Coast voluntarily recognises the expanded union by 13 October, it would bring almost every major WotC intellectual property under union representation. The company did not voluntarily recognise the original MTG Arena unit, so expectations for a smooth path to recognition are low. If voluntary recognition fails, the union will file with the National Labor Relations Board and seek a formal election.
Union demands include: fair wages with defined career progression, reliable healthcare, sustainable workloads, remote work protections, protection against AI encroachment, and full ownership of work created outside the office.
The AI Fight at the Heart of the Movement
The union’s petition makes clear that artificial intelligence is the defining issue. According to the workers, pressure from Hasbro to adopt large language models and generative AI tools has been increasing across various aspects of their work. The union claims that WotC has so far resisted these efforts and kept AI out of published games — but they want that stance locked into a binding contract rather than left to management’s discretion.
“WotC has resisted these efforts and kept AI out of our games. That’s good,” the union wrote. “We want to preserve this commendable stance through a union contract that ensures our games will always be made by people for people.”
“Currently, Wizards of the Coast can claim ownership over any IP created by employees during their tenure, including works fully unrelated to Wizards IP. What we make in our free time should belong to us, not the company.”
Intellectual Property Ownership
Beyond AI, the union is also fighting for creators’ rights to their own work outside the office. The petition argues that WotC currently claims ownership over any intellectual property created by employees during their tenure — including projects entirely unrelated to company IP. The union wants that changed, demanding that what workers create in their free time belongs to them.
This demand was part of the original MTG Arena union’s platform and has carried through to the expanded bargaining unit. It reflects a broader tension in the creative industry, where companies increasingly assert ownership over anything their employees produce, regardless of whether it relates to their day job.
What Happens Next
The clock is ticking. Wizards of the Coast has until 13 October to respond to the union’s request for voluntary recognition. If the company declines — as it did with the original Arena unit — the union will pursue a formal NLRB election. Given that the expanded unit now covers the D&D team and Studio X in addition to Arena, a successful election would represent one of the largest unionised workforces in the tabletop gaming industry.
The union is asking fans to show support by signing an online petition. For players of Magic and D&D, the stakes are tangible: the people who design the cards, write the rules, and build the worlds behind some of gaming’s most enduring franchises are asking for a say in how those games are made — and whether machines will have a hand in making them.
