NCSOFT’s labor union has formally begun procedures for the company’s 2026 wage and collective bargaining negotiations (hereafter, the 2026 wage-and-CBA talks). Alongside this, on the 23rd the union disclosed to its members the specific compensation package it agreed on with management to resolve overtime-related issues in the development organization for the upcoming title Aion 2.

According to the union’s announcement, NCSOFT labor and management held an introductory meeting on Wednesday, January 21, for the 2026 wage-and-CBA talks. This preliminary session takes place ahead of formal negotiations, serving as an opportunity to discuss bargaining rules and exchange greetings among committee members. The lead negotiator for this round is Chair Jeong Gyun-ha, who serves as the branch chair at Hancom Inc. and as the Solidarity Committee Chair for the Capital Region Division of the Korean Chemical, Textile & Food Workers’ Union (KCTFU).

The union was established on April 10, 2023, and after roughly eight months of negotiations signed its first collective bargaining agreement in December of that year. With that agreement remaining in effect, the union—pursuant to the relevant rules—requested negotiations in late 2025, and after completing the single bargaining-channel unification process, secured the negotiating table for the current talks.

Unlike the first round of bargaining, these negotiations will take the form of wage-and-CBA talks that include wage negotiations. The union 전망ed the talks would be difficult and highly consequential, given that wages and benefits will be discussed simultaneously. In a pre-negotiation survey conducted by the union, 61.4% of respondents said that if negotiations do not proceed smoothly, they would prefer a substantive, well-built outcome even if it means accepting a prolonged process. Accordingly, the union stated it would prioritize the robustness of the agreement’s contents over a quick settlement.

Along with the launch of the wage-and-CBA talks, the union also disclosed the terms of a labor-management agreement on improving working conditions for the Aion 2 development team. Recently, concerns were raised internally within the Aion 2 development organization that high-intensity work—such as late-night overtime and weekend attendance—has been continuing. In response, the union posted large public notices at the CEO’s office and at the entrance to the development area, urging the company to address the issue.

Management responded promptly, and labor and management agreed on four key items. Under the agreement, the company will conduct in-person consultations with employees who have logged substantial amounts of overtime and must ask for understanding regarding the current situation. The parties also decided to grant special leave as compensation for a portion of overtime hours.

If the granted special leave cannot be used due to reasons such as resignation, the company will provide cash compensation equivalent to the remaining number of unused days. In addition, management agreed to establish measures to gradually reduce overtime going forward and to share those measures with internal staff. These points have already been conveyed via the Chief Operating Officer (COO) to development leads including Baek Seung-wook and Kim Nam-jun.

The union said it plans to compile and share with members a detailed set of demands for the 2026 wage-and-CBA talks in the near future.

This article was translated from the original that appeared on INVEN.