2024 SAG-AFTRA video game strike
2024 video game voice actor strike | |||
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Date | July 26, 2024 – present | ||
Caused by | Disagreements over the terms of a new labor contract | ||
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At 12:01 am PDT (UTC-7) on July 26, 2024, the US labor union SAG-AFTRA (Screen Actors Guild – American Federation of Television and Radio Artists) initiated a labor strike against all video game companies signed to the Interactive Media Agreement.[2][3] The strike had been authorized in September 2023.[4][5][6] The strike started after a year and a half of negotiations which failed to result in a protection agreement from the use of artificial intelligence for all performers covered by the Interactive Media Agreement.[2] In addition to video game performers, there were concerns about companies having the ability to train A.I. to replicate an actor’s voice, or create a digital replica of their likeness, without consent or fair compensation.[3]
History
On September 1, the SAG-AFTRA National Board voted to send the video game strike authorization vote to its members,[7][8] and on September 25, the results showed the authorization passed with 98.32% voting in favor.[9] Months of negotiations which were held between SAG-AFTRA and major videogame companies such as Activision, Blindlight, Electronic Arts (EA), Epic Games, Insomniac, Take-Two Interactive, Disney Character Voices and Warner Bros. Games proved to be a failure.[10][11] On July 25, 2024, SAG-AFTRA President Fran Drescher and SAG-AFTRA chief negotiator Duncan Cabtree-Ireland stated that SAG-AFTRA would go on strike against major video game publishers.[12][13] Crabtree-Ireland affirmed that the strike would become effective at 12:01 am PDT on July 26, 2024, while Drescher stated that “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.”[14] Roughly 2,600 people employed in the video game industry in voice acting, motion capture and other work would then go on strike.[10]
On September 4, Lightspeed LA, a division of Tencent's Lightspeed Studios, signed an interim agreement with the union to continue to work with its actors.[15] SAG-AFTRA announced the following day that 80 games had signed acceptable interim agreements with the union, allowing actors to return to work on those games and putting more pressure on the larger publishers.[16]
References
- ^ Natalie Dreier, Cox Media Group National Content Desk (July 26, 2024). "SAG-AFTRA video game actors go on strike". KIRO 7. Archived from the original on July 28, 2024. Retrieved July 27, 2024.
- ^ a b "SAG-AFTRA Members Who Work on Video Games Go on Strike; A.I. Protections Remain the Sticking Point". SAG AFTRA. July 26, 2024. Archived from the original on July 26, 2024. Retrieved July 26, 2024.
- ^ a b Parvini, Sarah (July 26, 2024). "Video game performers will go on strike over artificial intelligence concerns". Associated Press. Archived from the original on July 25, 2024. Retrieved July 26, 2024.
- ^ Parvini, Sarah (September 25, 2023). "SAG-AFTRA members vote to authorize strike against video game companies". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved July 26, 2024.
- ^ "SAG-AFTRA National Board Votes Unanimously to Send Interactive Media (Video Game) Strike Authorization Vote to Members". SAG-AFTRA. September 1, 2023. Archived from the original on September 2, 2023. Retrieved July 26, 2024.
- ^ "Video game voice actor members of SAG-AFTRA go on strike over lack of AI protections for union". WSB-TV. July 26, 2024. Retrieved July 26, 2024.
- ^ "SAG-AFTRA National Board Votes Unanimously to Send Interactive Media (Video Game) Strike Authorization Vote to Members". SAG-AFTRA. September 1, 2023. Archived from the original on September 2, 2023. Retrieved July 26, 2024.
- ^ Maddaus, Gene (September 1, 2023). "SAG-AFTRA Seeks Approval for Second Strike Against Video Game Companies". Variety. Archived from the original on September 2, 2023. Retrieved July 26, 2024.
- ^ Robb, David (September 26, 2023). "SAG-AFTRA Members Vote Overwhelmingly To Authorize Strike Against Video Game Industry". Deadline. Archived from the original on September 26, 2023. Retrieved July 26, 2024.
- ^ a b Masunga, Samantha; Carras, Christi (July 27, 2024). "Video game actors are on strike. Here's what that means". Los Angeles Times. Archived from the original on July 27, 2024. Retrieved July 27, 2024.
- ^ Broadway, Danielle (July 25, 2024). "Hollywood's videogame performers to strike over AI, pay concerns". Reuters. Retrieved July 26, 2024.
- ^ Hayden, Erik (July 25, 2024). "SAG-AFTRA Calls Strike Against Major Video Game Studios". The Hollywood Reporter. Archived from the original on July 26, 2024. Retrieved July 26, 2024.
- ^ Maas, Jennifer (July 25, 2024). "SAG-AFTRA Calls Strike Against Major Video Game Publishers". Variety. Archived from the original on July 26, 2024. Retrieved July 26, 2024.
- ^ "SAG-AFTRA Members Who Work on Video Games Go on Strike". SAG-AFTRA. July 25, 2024. Retrieved July 26, 2024.
- ^ Kilkenny, Katie (September 4, 2024). "SAG-AFTRA Inks Video Game Deal With 'Last Sentinel' Maker During Strike Against Major Studios". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved September 4, 2024.
- ^ Huamani, Kaitlyn (September 5, 2024). "Video game performers reach agreement with 80 video games on AI terms". Associated Press. Retrieved September 5, 2024.