Candy Crush developers plan strike next week

Workers at the developer of the popular game ‘Candy Crush Saga’, King, have announced plans to strike next week following a deadlock in contract negotiations.

This was officially communicated through the Swedish trade unions Unionen and Sveriges Ingenjörer. As reported by Engadget on Thursday (17/9), developers at King have been attempting to negotiate union contracts for several years.

“Our members at King are entitled to safe working conditions, a voice in their workplace, and clear rules that apply to everyone,” Unionen wrote on the LinkedIn platform. “This is why Unionen is providing notice of strike action.”

Sveriges Ingenjörer expressed similar sentiments in a separate statement, noting that if union members and King management fail to reach an agreement with a mediator, the strike will commence on 25 September 2026.

The dispute stems from claims that existing benefits are superior for all of the company’s global employees, including those based in Sweden.

However, the issuance of a strike notice does not always mean the union must proceed with the action. The threat of a work stoppage is often sufficient to bring management back to the negotiating table.

Following its acquisition, King has become one of Microsoft’s most reliable video game revenue generators. The popular ‘Candy Crush Saga’ game alone generated US$875 million (approximately IDR 12.86 trillion at 2025 exchange rates) in 2025, according to a Bloomberg report.

This financial performance is likely to place even greater pressure on the ongoing contract negotiations.