Videogame Voice Actors and Motion-Capture Performers Call for Strike Over AI Protections
TL;DR intro
- Strike Called:Video game voice actors and motion-capture performers have called for a strike over failed contract negotiations.
- Strike Focus:The strike, effective July 26, focuses on AI-related protections and better wages for performers.
- Affected Companies:Major video game companies like Activision and EA are among those affected by the strike.
Video game voice actors and motion-capture performers, represented by the SAG-AFTRA union, have voted to strike after nearly two years of failed contract negotiations. The strike, which goes into effect on July 26, targets major video game companies, including Activision Productions, Electronic Arts, Epic Games, and Warner Bros. Discovery's WB Games.
The union's Interactive Media Agreement, which covers these performers, expired in November 2022 and had been extended monthly during ongoing talks. The decision to strike follows months of negotiations without reaching a consensus on critical issues such as AI-related protections for workers.
“Although agreements have been reached on many issues important to SAG-AFTRA members, the employers refuse to plainly affirm, in clear and enforceable language, that they will protect all performers covered by this contract in their AI language," the union said in a statement.
Key Issues and Industry Impact
Apart from AI protections, other significant concerns include higher pay, medical treatment, and breaks for motion-capture performers. The union argues that wages for video game performers have not kept pace with inflation and that more protections are needed for those who wear markers or sensors for motion capture.
SAG-AFTRA President Fran Drescher stated, “We're not going to consent to a contract that allows companies to abuse A.I. to the detriment of our members. Enough is enough. When these companies get serious about offering an agreement our members can live—and work—with, we will be here, ready to negotiate."
In response, Audrey Cooling, a spokesperson for the video game producers involved in the Interactive Media Agreement, expressed disappointment over the union's decision to strike. Cooling emphasized that significant progress had been made on 24 out of 25 proposals, including historic wage increases and additional safety provisions. The offer presented to SAG-AFTRA includes AI protections that require consent and fair compensation for all performers.
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Broader Context and Future Steps
This strike marks the second major labor action by SAG-AFTRA within a year, following a previous strike against Hollywood studios over similar AI concerns. Unlike the unified position held by movie and TV studios through the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers (AMPTP), the video game industry lacks a single representative group, making it likely that individual game developers might accept the union's demands independently.
“The video game industry generates billions of dollars in profit annually. The driving force behind that success is the creative people who design and create those games. That includes the SAG-AFTRA members who bring memorable and beloved game characters to life, and they deserve and demand the same fundamental protections as performers in film, television, streaming, and music: fair compensation and the right of informed consent for the A.I. use of their faces, voices, and bodies," said Duncan Crabtree-Ireland, SAG-AFTRA's National Executive Director and Chief Negotiator.
The strike follows a September vote where 98.32% of SAG-AFTRA members authorized a strike on the current contract, with 34,687 members casting ballots. The union's last strike against the gaming companies in 2016-17 lasted 183 days.
As the gaming industry faces this new labor challenge, both sides remain far apart on AI provisions, with the potential for significant impacts on upcoming game releases and development schedules. The union's move to strike highlights the growing importance of AI protections and fair compensation in the entertainment industry.
