Highlights
- Video game voice actors have voted to potentially go on strike if negotiations with major publishers fail, mirroring ongoing strikes in the film and television industry.
- Concerns include the fear of AI-generated content replacing human voice work and the need for fair compensation and safety precautions.
- While the strike authorization doesn't guarantee a walkout, it shows that video game voice actors are willing to take action to protect their rights and interests.
Video game voice actors have voted to authorize a walkout against major publishers should ongoing negotiations fail. On May 2, the Writers Guild of America voted to go on strike against the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers over concerns about AI and compensation for streaming content. A few months later, the Screen Actors Guild and American Federation of Television and Radio Artists joined them in a dual walkout that froze most major Hollywood productions.
While the WGA reached a tentative agreement with AMPTP to end its strike earlier this week, the SAG-AFTRA walkout is still ongoing and there has been discussion about whether video game voice actors should join their counterparts in film and television. At the beginning of September, SAG-AFTRA announced that it would seek authorization for another strike against major game publishers after negotiations regarding the current Interactive Media Agreement broke down. Most of the concerns addressed by SAG-AFTRA mirror the ones that sparked the still-ongoing Hollywood strike, namely the fear of AI-generated content replacing the work of human writers and performers.
Earlier this week, SAG-AFTRA voted in favor of authorizing a strike if a deal regarding the Interactive Media Agreement isn’t reached. According to SAG-AFTRA’s website, 34,687 members cast ballots, with 98.32% voting in favor of a potential walkout. This vote comes after talks stalled between the union and several major video game publishers including Activision Productions Inc, Blindlight LLC, Disney Character Voices Inc., Electronic Arts Productions Inc., Formosa Interactive LLC, Insomniac Games Inc., Epic Games, Take 2 Productions Inc., VoiceWorks Productions Inc., and WB Games Inc. These negotiations have been going on since last October, with another round of talks set to take place throughout the coming week.
According to SAG-AFTRA, the publishers have refused to offer acceptable terms for the union’s concerns about AI replacing human voice work, wages that keep up with ongoing inflation, and basic safety precautions. “After five rounds of bargaining, it has become abundantly clear that the video game companies aren’t willing to meaningfully engage on the critical issues […]” said SAG-AFTRA National Executive Director and Chief Negotiator Duncan Crabtree-Ireland. “I remain hopeful that we will be able to reach an agreement that meets members’ needs, but our members are done being exploited, and if these corporations aren’t willing to offer a fair deal, our next stop will be the picket lines.”
Of course, the recent SAG-AFTRA strike authorization doesn’t guarantee a walkout among video game voice actors, only that the option is now available if the major publishers don't meet their concerns. Only time will tell if it comes to that, especially with the WGA ending its own strike and the SAG-AFTRA walkout likely not far behind.
Source: SAG-AFTRA