# Candy Crush maker King signs first union deal

> Microsoft-owned King agrees collective bargaining agreement with Swedish unions, averting strike scheduled for Friday.
- Title: Candy Crush maker King signs first union deal · Engadget
- Summary: Microsoft-owned King agrees collective bargaining agreement with Swedish unions, averting strike scheduled for Friday. King, maker of Candy Crush, signed a…
- Keywords: king, microsoft, candy crush, collective bargaining agreement, swedish unions, gaming industry, labor organizing, technology, Candy, Crush, maker, signs
- Source: Engadget — https://engadget.com/2269263/candy-crush-maker-signs-collective-bargaining-agreement-averting-strike
- Author: Will Shanklin
- Published: 2026-09-25T18:35:21+00:00
- Read time: 1 min
- Topics: king, microsoft, candy crush, collective bargaining agreement, swedish unions, gaming industry, labor organizing, technology
## King signs union deal in Sweden
Candy Crush developer King, owned by Microsoft, signed a collective bargaining agreement with Unionen and Engineers of Sweden on Thursday, one day before a planned strike.
## What sparked the organizing drive
King removed a private doctor benefit in two thousand twenty-four, prompting employees to form a union club and seek greater say in their working conditions.
## King initially resisted unionization
King argued its existing benefits were already better for employees and that restructuring under a collective bargaining agreement could leave workers worse off.

> the right fit
## What the agreement gives workers
The deal gives King employees more influence over working conditions and advance information about changes affecting their work, including reorganizations.
## Agreement aligns King with Swedish norms
Nearly nine out of ten employees in Sweden already have basic job security through collective bargaining agreements. The deal takes effect on April first, twenty twenty-seven.

> This is an important step for King, the gaming industry and for the Swedish model
## Limits of the agreement
While the deal gives staff more formal influence over conditions, it does not prevent layoffs, a concern for all Microsoft gaming workers following recent Xbox divisions cuts.
## Key takeaway

King, maker of Candy Crush, signed a collective bargaining agreement with Swedish unions on Thursday, averting a strike set for Friday and giving employees formal influence over working conditions.