The Screen Actors Guild – American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (SAG-AFTRA) labor union announced on Thursday that union members who work on video games will be going on strike, effective July 26.

SAG-AFTRA has been negotiating for more than a year and a half with a bargaining group that includes Activision Productions Inc.; Blindlight LLC; Disney Character Voices Inc.; Electronic Arts Productions Inc.; Epic Games, Inc.; Formosa Interactive LLC; Insomniac Games Inc.; Take 2 Productions Inc.; VoiceWorks Productions Inc.; and WB Games Inc.

The negotiations began in October 2022, and in September 2023, SAG-AFTRA members voted 98.32% in favor of a strike authorization against 10 video game companies. The vote at the time did not initiate a strike, but permitted the union’s national board to declare a strike if ongoing negotiations were not successful.

SAG-AFTRA stated on Thursday regarding the lengthy negotiations and the reason for calling a strike now, “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 A.I. language.”

SAG-AFTRA signed an agreement in January with Replica Studios — an AI voiceover studio — that sets terms for the use of artificial intelligence for voices in video games.

The agreement’s terms include informed consent for the use of AI to create digital voice replicas (recreations of the voice of a real performer, living or dead). They also include requirements for the safe storage of digital assets. The union said that the deal will enable Replica Studios “to engage SAG-AFTRA members under a fair, ethical agreement to safely create and license a digital replica of their voice. Licensed voices can be used in video game development and other interactive media projects from pre-production to final release,” but the agreement also requires that voiceover performers “have the opportunity to opt out of its continued use in new works.”

Several voice actors at the time expressed their concerns on the agreement and how it was reached.

SAG-AFTRA’s last strike against major gaming companies began in 2016 and lasted 183 days.

A separate strike from the Writers Guild of America started in May 2023. In this strike, writers demanded improved pay and working conditions, and limitations on the industry’s use of AI. The WGA reached a tentative agreement with the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers in September 2023. Similarly, AI also played a role in the SAG-AFTRA strike from July to November 2023 against the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers.

SAG-AFTRA represents over 160,000 performers—including voice actors—and negotiates contracts with studios to guarantee consistent pay, working conditions, contributions toward health insurance and a pension, and preferential casting for union members.

Source: SAG-AFTRA