King’s staff want to get negotiations back on track after years of bargaining.
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Staff at Candy Crush Saga developer King could go on strike next week, according to statements from Swedish labor unions Unionen and Sveriges Ingenjörer. King’s developers have been attempting to negotiate a union contract for years, but have now issued a strike notice after their proposed collective bargaining agreement (CBA) was shot down by studio leadership in August, Kotaku reports.
“Our members at King are entitled to secure conditions, a say in their workplace and clear rules that apply to everyone,” Unionen posted on LinkedIn. “That is why Unionen is giving notice of strike action.” Sveriges Ingenjörer shared a similar sentiment in its own statement, noting that unless union members and King leadership can come to an agreement with a mediator, the strike will go into effect on September 25.
King set the union on this path when it declined to accept its proposed CBA, claiming that its existing benefits were better for all of its global employees, including those in Sweden. Issuing a strike notice doesn’t necessarily mean the union will have to follow through, though: the threat of a work stoppage is often enough to get management back to the bargaining table.
Microsoft acquired King as part of its $68.7 billion purchase of Activision Blizzard in 2023. Workers at Blizzard Entertainment ratified their first union contracts earlier this week, winning wage increases, a hybrid work schedule, and “just cause” protections, among other benefits. That success and King’s role as one of Microsoft’s guaranteed video game earners — King’s Candy Crush Saga earned $875 million in 2025 alone, Bloomberg reports — likely adds even more pressure to the contract negotiations.
