SAG-AFTRA Strike Coming for Major Video Game Publishers

Today, the actor’s union SAG-AFTRA has announced that they will go on strike against major video game publishers.

After we saw a major strike in film and television, halting production on many major films and television series in 2023 , it looks like 2024 will be the year for actors to stand up against the video game industry. There was a video game strike back in 2016 , and we saw rumblings about a SAG-AFTRA video game strike in 2023 as well, but now, it’s official. Today, the Interactive Media Agreement Negotiating Committee and SAG-AFTRA national executive director and chief negotiator Duncan Crabtree-Ireland called the strike against major players in the video game industry.

The SAG-AFTRA video game strike will go into effect on July 26, 2024, at 12:01 am. The official statement says , “Any game looking to employ SAG-AFTRA talent to perform covered work must sign on to the new Tiered-Budget Independent Interactive Media Agreement, the Interim Interactive Media Agreement or the Interim Interactive Localization Agreement. These agreements offer critical A.I. protections for members.”

In the same statement, SAG-AFTRA President Fran Drescher had this to say, “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,”

Crabtree-Ireland made a statement about the video game industry and emphasized the pivotal role SAG-AFTRA actors play: “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.”

They also made note that this is something we should not be dealing with, especially after the 2023 strike: “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.”

A spokesperson for the video game producers party to the Interactive Media Agreement, Audrey Cooling, had this to sa y: “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.”

The following companies are included in the SAG-AFTRA negotiation “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., and WB Games Inc.”

With the strike beginning at midnight tonight, major events like Gamescom , Fan Expo Canada and San Diego Comic-Con , which just began today, could see major disruptions.