I'm quoting this because I've seen variations on it. The answer is nothing immediate and it also depends on what's meant by "we". Someone above said that this is ultimately on the devs; that person is right. If there's a unionization push or a move to co-ops or even something as mild as a slightly beefier IGDA discussion group on this, it won't be done by articles or forum posts. It'll be done by the workers in the industry.
What I see this series' role (and yours as you discuss this topic, here or elsewhere) is sussing out the practical effects of what this looks like. This is something probably not worthy of a full article, but I think it's really important: there's no institutional memory of organizing in the tech sector as a whole. It's not like automobiles or mining or even acting where you can go talk to that grizzled union vet or whoever to get tips. Tech, generally, but gaming, specifically, is one of the few industries which came about entirely in the post-union era.
That's a big deal because it means whatever happens is essentially starting from scratch. It's daunting. It's a really heavy lift. And it may not work, where "it" is any one of a variety of things, but damn, if it's not worth trying.
@lordgodalming: That's a great question! I think it's definitely related. This is something covered in a really good book (if you don't mind some academic-ese) called Games of Empire. There are chapters in that book dealing with the factory and natural resources end of things, the way the rare earth mineral industry is patched deeply into gaming because of the need for them in PCs and consoles. A little less grim is just the end product which we surprisingly don't think about; I remember reading an article years ago about the way PC gaming tends to drive the desktop industry (that's very short form on my part). That seems like a really obvious thing, but when we talk about labor and "the industry" we're usually talking about game creation and not the machines which run them. That's a very odd omission when I think about it.
I'd like to look at that, for sure. I've got the next couple planned but things open up quite a bit after that.
I can't possibly respond to everyone so a couple points.
1) It can't be stressed enough that this is an intro. It's covering some ground which has already been covered, absolutely. I say as much: the article where we all gawk at the numbers is tired. I've done that article; when I say it's tired, I don't mean that to denigrate the people who write them, because I am the people who write them.
But the responses here and on Twitter asking for more are precisely why they're tired. We know and awareness isn't enough. The ground still needs to be covered here as a jumping off point for folks new to the conversation and my own sanity trying to create a multi-article narrative, but believe me, I get it. Hell, I'm heartened by those asking for something more than another awareness article; it drives home that it's time to really get to why this happens and what we can do.
2) Other industries have it rough, no doubt. That's especially true of physical labor. Don't take any of this stuff about video games and labor to mean that the wider world of labor relations need to be ignored or are diminished.
The simple fact is that any of us can only deal with what we know and where our expertise lies. My knowledge and expertise is here in the video game industry, so that's what I focus on. I don't even know if it's possible to truly write about every subject under a broad field like labor.
Plus, I think you can easily get into a mindset where the next job has it worse, because it's essentially true. Mine workers in the US are better off than their Chinese counterparts; does this mean we dissolve mine unions and say nothing when something bad happens because it could be worse? I emphatically think no. In fact, I'd say that threat of making it as bad as Elsewhere is part of the reason why workers have been cowed so effectively. You keep your head down, do your thing, and stay quiet because it could always be worse.
3) I'm super heartened by the response, truly. It's been way more positive and way larger than I expected. I just wanted to let y'all know that.
A non-reply: I'm really excited to be doing this with GB. I am a new guy here, so hopefully I don't bigfoot a community tradition or anything; yell at me if I do. I'm excited, though. While I've not been part of the GB community, it's always been a site I've admired and had time for.
As perhaps a general statement as reply before I go pick up my daughter from school, I look at this column as one in which we can hopefully get to the root of some of the problems in the industry and maybe examine solutions. Which isn't the same as implementing them; that's something nobody can do from behind a column. But I want to get past just solemnly noting when the layoffs occur. So hopefully with this monthly-ish column we can get our toes wet.
@technicallyartistic: That sense of burnout is a really common thing. You're not alone. And the most important thing, I think, is to recognize that you're not alone in that. Solidarity.
@cagliostro88: Good question about the stuff outside the country! The problem is twofold. One, it's enormous enough an industry any more that you almost have to go region by region and tracking just US (and to a lesser extent UK) numbers is tough enough. Two, the numbers we do have aren't as robust as I'd like. Basically, you've got some good samples from the IGDA and the folks behind Gamasutra run some voluntary surveys out of GDC (I think) every year.
As an example of how tough it can be, I've written a bit about the for profit college industry and video games. Nothing major, just as part of an article. I called the Department of Education and it turns out the numbers on who has programs and what the graduation rates are are almost impossible to parse. Some schools end up lumping games in with general computing programs, some are distinct, some aren't required to give data, etc.
So the answer (roundabout as it is) is that, yes, that would be fascinating, that it might be tough to get what you want, that I may not be the guy to do it, but I also may end up being the guy, too!
@joe_mccallister: That's my hope, that we end up doing a diverse look at what works, what doesn't, but also why. They why is super important. And where it's not working, I hope to look at some solutions to it.
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