Highlights
- SAG-AFTRA, the workers' union representing media professionals, may go on strike against major video game companies like Activision and Electronic Arts.
- The union previously went on strike in 2016 over contract negotiations for voice actors, with the strike lasting nearly a year.
- The union is now seeking an 11% retroactive increase in rates, protections from AI replacing human performers, and safety precautions for voice actors.
SAG-AFTRA, the top union representing media workers in the United States, could soon embark on another massive strike - this time against major video game companies like Activision and Electronic Arts. On July 13, the Screen Actors Guild and American Federation of Television and Radio Artists voted to join the Writers Guild of America in a major strike against the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers, causing the production of various films and movies to grind to a halt worldwide. Talks between the two groups have reached a standstill in the months since, and there seems to be no sign of a strike-ending deal in sight.
While many of the actors in SAG-AFTRA also lend their talents to video game voice work, the current walkout has only affected their work on movies and TV shows as the union is under a separate contract with game publishers like Activision and EA. SAG-AFTRA previously went on strike against these and other companies back in 2016 over contract negotiations for voice actors, with said strike lasting nearly a year before an agreement was made. Now it seems that history could repeat itself in the wake of SAG-AFTRA’s protests against the larger entertainment industry.
On Friday, SAG-AFTRA announced that it will seek authorization for a second strike against the major video game companies after negotiations over a renewed contract reached a “stalemate.” Most of the union's concerns and demands mirror the ones fueling their current strike against AMPTP, with SAG-AFTRA asking for an 11% retroactive increase in rates for video game performers followed by increases of 4% and 4%. They also want protections from AI replacing human performers, a topic that many well-known voice actors have voiced their concerns with over the past few months.
SAG-AFTRA is also seeking rest periods and safety protections for voice actors, such as an on-set medic similar to the ones available on TV and film sets and a prohibition against stunts during self-taped auditions. In a recent press statement, SAG-AFTRA president Fran Drescher accused the major video game companies like Activision of showing “greed and disrespect” during current negotiations, while a spokesperson for said companies named Audrey Cooling claimed that her clients are bargaining in good faith and “hope to reach a mutually beneficial deal as soon as possible.”
SAG-AFTRA will cast ballots on whether to go on strike at 5 P.M. Pacific Time on September 25, with a series of informational meetings for affected members being held during the voting period. The effects of a voice actor strike on any future gaming projects aren't clear, but the work of performers like God of War’s Christopher Judge plays a crucial role in video game storytelling - and they deserve to be paid and treated fairly for their efforts. Hopefully, both parties involved can reach a fair deal that gives said actors fair wages and better safety precautions while doing voice work and motion capture for games.
Source: Variety