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James AR

@riffantasy.bsky.social

18 followers 55 following 12 posts

QA Tester by day, burnt tf out by night • he/him 🍳 • Thoughts are my own

Posts Replies Media

Reposted by James AR

ZOS United-CWA @zosunited.bsky.social · 14/07/2025

On July 2nd, Microsoft announced they were shelving an unannounced project at ZOS, a shock to over 200 of our devs working on the project. However, despite discussions regarding the status of our employment, the fact is: we have not yet been laid off. Our full statement can be found below.

First part of the ZeniMax Online Studio United-CWA statement that reads,

Earlier this month, Microsoft indefinitely shelved an unannounced MMORPG at ZeniMax Online Studios, a shock to the 222 ZOSU-CWA developers working on the project. It has been heartening and validating to see our game mentioned in the press and by players that would have loved to see the results of our work.

Undoubtedly, a future has been stolen from many of us and our community will never experience an amazing game. However, despite discussions regarding the status of our employment, the fact is: we have not yet been laid off.

While we understand that for most of us something like a layoff is inevitable, last December both the teams behind The Elder Scrolls Online (ESO) and the unannounced project voted overwhelmingly to form a union and establish ZeniMax Online Studios United-CWA (ZOSU-CWA). Worker-volunteers elected to represent the interests of our union are currently bargaining with Microsoft for the benefit of our impacted teammates.

While Microsoft and ZOSU-CWA bargain over how we move forward following the project closure, the developers behind the unannounced project remain employees of ZeniMax Online Studios with full pay and benefits.

Second part of the ZeniMax Online Studio United-CWA statement that reads: On July 2nd, our lives were upended without prior notice or communication from Microsoft leadership and without clear understanding about the status of our employment. In light of this, our union came together with urgency, gathering and distributing information and resources to our affected members.

Where Microsoft has failed to support the talented craftspeople who have generated billions in revenue, our union has stepped up to provide clarity and support.

It is true that a layoff may be in the future for some of our members. However, as a result of our organizing, we are able to ensure that those impacted will be able to depart with dignity.

More importantly, the work of ZOSU-CWA will continue so that our remaining teammates — the stalwart developers of ESO — can follow in the footsteps of our colleagues across other departments and studios at Microsoft, including our union siblings at ZeniMax Workers United (ZWU-CWA). We look forward to other units who will soon ratify fair contracts that will guarantee the rights we all deserve.

In solidarity,
ZeniMax Online Studios United-CWA (ZOSU-CWA)

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Reposted by James AR

Xavier @xavierck.com · 02/07/2025

I wish each and every one of the NINE THOUSAND PEOPLE LAID OFF BY PHIL SPENCER the opportunity to kick him directly in the balls on national television

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James AR @riffantasy.bsky.social · 02/07/2025

Y'all ever spent 8 hours wondering if you'll have a job because the trillion dollar corporation that owns your employer decides to not tell anyone, even management, who is being laid off despite systematically removing folks from the workplace in a clearly organized manner? Asking for a friend

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James AR @riffantasy.bsky.social · 02/07/2025

I wish all of Microsoft a very burn in hell

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James AR @riffantasy.bsky.social · 30/05/2025

"It ain't much, but it's honest work" farmer meme

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Reposted by James AR

Climate Defiance @climatedefiance.bsky.social · 02/05/2025

BREAKING! We HUMILIATED Charles Koch last night in Washington DC. His family has forked over 150 mil to climate denial propaganda and right-wing institutions. To say this man is a villain is an understatement. Charles Koch doesn't deserve an award, he deserves to be tried in The Hague.

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James AR @riffantasy.bsky.social · 01/05/2025

we've gone for 2 years without a contract already, we can do this all day ✊ (please don't make us do this all day)

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Reposted by James AR

one dozen bats at a keyboard @panasonicdx4500.bsky.social · 18/04/2025

Chris Van Hollen flying down to El Salvador and refusing to leave until he got in a room with Kilmar Abrego Garcia blows up every other “well what do you expect them to do?” defense for elected Democrats

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James AR @riffantasy.bsky.social · 01/04/2025

(no, it's not April fools, just solidarity ✊)

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Reposted by James AR

CWA @cwaunion.bsky.social · 28/03/2025

We won’t back down. We won’t be silenced. Our solidarity is stronger than Donald Trump and the CEOs and billionaires who helped elect him.

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Reposted by James AR

Valentine Powell @valentineirl.bsky.social · 13/02/2025

Ok lets get into it then. Hi I'm Valentine, I was one of the employees who led most of the walkouts and who was part of the original group pushing for unionization at Blizzard, especially on the WoW team where I worked at the time.

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Reposted by James AR

Mary Kenney @marykgames.com · 30/01/2025

Layoffs always suck but to see people I’ve looked up to for years - who wrote, animated, edited, and brought to life so many stories and characters I love - hurts. BioWare devs, thank you for bringing wonder, compassion, intrigue, and magic to millions of fans, me included. We’re all in your corner

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James AR @riffantasy.bsky.social · 24/01/2025

Veilguard is a fun game with great characters and writing and I'm begging anyone who thinks it's bad to actually *play the game*

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Reposted by James AR

ZOS United-CWA @zosunited.bsky.social · 13/12/2024

Today we, a majority of video game workers at ZeniMax Online Studios and the workers behind ESO, are proud to announce the launch of our union with @cwaunion.bsky.social! ✊

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James AR @riffantasy.bsky.social · 15/11/2024

these should be called bleets

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