Screen Actors Guild – The American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (SAG -AFTRA) has reached a “tentative agreement” on a potentially interactive media agreement. Ending almost a year of industrial action The entire video game industry.
SAG-AFTRA Video Game Strike It was incited in July 2024 after the coalition and major gaming companies (Activision, blindlight, Disney Character Voices, Electronic Arts, Epic Games, Formosa Interactive, Insomniac Games, two productions, WB games) failed to agree to AI terms. Over 98% of the members then voted for strike.
At first, it was difficult to tell exactly how strikes would affect our game, but there was a visible impact across the industry. Players reported that many ongoing games, such as Destiny 2 and World of Warcraft, appear to have not been called out in otherwise unvoiced scenes, perhaps due to strikes. Then, late last year, Sag Ahura attacked the League of Legends after the riots. reportedly they cancelled the game and tried to destroy the strike accordinglyand Activision has been confirmed Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 characters recast After players have expressed concern about new voices.
However, the union now said it has reached a “tentative agreement” subject to review and approval from the National Committee. SAG-AFTRA members can “continue to strike against these employers” until the National Committee approves the draft agreement, but strike measures are expected to be suspended soon.
“Everyone at SAG-AFTRA is extremely grateful for the sacrifices made by video game performers and the dedication of the Interactive Media Agreement Negotiator over the months of video game strikes,” said Duncan Crabtree-Areland, national executive director and chief negotiator of SAG-AFTRA.
“Patience and tenacity, along with other important benefits, has led to a deal that introduces the necessary AI guardrails to protect the livelihoods of performers in the AI era.”
SAG-AFTRA has filed unfair labor practice charges with the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) against Epic GamesAfter the company implemented AI Voice Darth Vader NPC in Fortnite. The complaint alleges that for the past six months, Rama Productions (owned by Epic Games) has failed to negotiate in good faith with SAG-AFTRA video game actors, and by using Ai-Generated Voices, it has made unilateral changes to the terms of employment without providing unions or opportunities to negotiate, without providing employment terms and conditions.”
And in March, Horizon actor Ashly Burch dealt with Ai Aloy’s video leaked online and used it to draw attention to the voice actor’s demands. Burch said that Ai Aloy’s video felt “a worried about gaming performance as an art form,” and used it as a point to fly away, video game audio actors discussed the strike.
“What we’re fighting now is that we need to get consent before we can create an AI version in any way, and we need to compensate us fairly, and tell us how we use this AI double,” Burch explained.
“I’m worried not because there’s technology, not because gaming companies want to use it. Of course, they always want to use technological advancements. I imagine a video like this with someone’s performance attached to it has someone’s voice, face and movement. I scare the industry so much.
Photo by Valerie Macon/AFP via Getty Images.
Vikki Blake is an Passthecontroller reporter, critic, columnist and consultant, with over 15 years of experience working with some of the world’s largest gaming sites and publications. She is also a Guardian, Spartan, Silent Hellian, Legend, and constantly high chaos. Find her Blue skiing.
