Video game workers' rights have been a hot button topic lately. Reports of demoralizing crunch time, with employees sometimes expected to work 100 hour work weeks, has led to a conversation about whether or not the video game industry should unionize. We haven't seen this happen yet, but one person who has voiced support for the movement is Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders, who is currently one of the top Democrats running for president in 2020.

Unionization can be a controversial subject, and like any political issue, it has its supporters as well as its detractors. However, a survey from earlier this year suggested that at least half of video game developers want to unionize, so there does seem to be quite a bit of support for unionizing the video game industry.

One of the main arguments for unionizing the video game industry is the perceived mistreatment of video game developers by companies, which is something that a union could potentially stop. For example, Activision laid off hundreds of employees recently, while simultaneously bragging about a "record year," which is a situation that may be avoided if video game developers are protected by a union.

Meanwhile, those opposed to unions may express concerns that video game prices will rise if the industry unionizes. Those who are anti-union also often bring up the possibility of a potentially more-skilled person being unable to find work because a less-qualified individual is able to keep their job due to union protection.

Whether one is pro- or anti-union, Bernie's comments are still notable as they mark one of the first times that a major politician has publicly discussed the matter in regards to the video game industry. It remains to be seen if Bernie's endorsement of video game industry unionization has any lasting impact, however.

Image Source: Gage Skidmore