SAG-AFTRA video game workers have been in negotiations with employers since October 2022 and are now on strike. A vote was taken this past September and members agreed with a 98.32% majority to go on strike if all demands were not met by a certain date, and following another vote this week, as of July 26, the SAG-AFTRA video game workers are now on strike. The key sticking point is lacking details in the Interactive Media Agreement (IMA) to adequately protect performers and other workers in video games from the misuse of A.I., in plain, enforceable language.
“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,”
SAG-AFTRA President Fran Drescher
Per SAG-AFTRA National Executive Director & Chief Negotiator Duncan Crabtree-Ireland (via Press Release):
“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. Frankly, it’s stunning that these video game studios haven’t learned anything from the lessons of last year – that our members can and will stand up and demand fair and equitable treatment with respect to A.I., and the public supports us in that.”
The strike mirrors the one that effectively shut down Hollywood in 2023. This time around the companies who publish or develop the majority of the biggest titles in the industry are the target and while nearly all of the items having been discussed reached mutual agreement the use of AI brought everything to a standstill. Any company wanting to use a SAG-AFTRA member to make a video must now sign a trio of agreements to protect its members until an official all-encompassing contract is agreed upon.
Companies names in Press Release:
- Activision Productions Inc.
- Blindlight LLC
- Disney Character Voices Inc.
- Electronic Arts Productions Inc.
- Formosa Interactive LLC
- Insomniac Games Inc
- Llama Productions LLC
- Take 2 Productions Inc.
- VoiceWorks Productions Inc.
- WB Games Inc.
A spokesperson for the above video games bargaining group has issued a statement regarding the current strike, expressing their disappointment and supporting the IMA as it stands. According to the statement, 24 out of 25 proposals were agreed upon.
Per Audrey Cooling (via VGC):
- “We are disappointed the union has chosen to walk away when we are so close to a deal, and we remain prepared to resume negotiations.”
- “We have already found common ground on 24 out of 25 proposals, including historic wage increases and additional safety provisions.”
- “Our offer is directly responsive to SAG-AFTRA’s concerns and extends meaningful AI protections that include requiring consent and fair compensation to all performers working under the IMA.”
- “These terms are among the strongest in the entertainment industry.”