Video Game Voice Actors Officially Go on Strike Over AI Protections

Video game voice actors who are members of SAG-AFTRA are officially going on strike.

In a press release, SAG-AFTRA announced that its video game voice actors will go on strike beginning at 12:01 am on Friday, July 26. This vote comes after over a year and a half of negotiations between game companies and workers that has not yet resulted in a deal.

The main reason for the strike, SAG-AFTRA says, is that video game companies have not come to an agreement with actors over regulating generative artificial intelligence (GenAI) in their projects.

"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 said in a press release.

"Eighteen months of negotiations have shown us that our employers are not interested in fair, reasonable A.I. protections, but rather flagrant exploitation. We refuse this paradigm – we will not leave any of our members behind or wait for sufficient protection any longer."

Effective July 26 at 12:01 a.m. Today’s vote to strike comes after more than a year and a half of negotiations without a deal.#VideoGameStrike #LevelUpTheContract #SagAftraStrong https://t.co/8InNdB05k8

— SAG-AFTRA (@sagaftra) July 25, 2024

Notably, the strike rules do not impact promotion at San Diego Comic Con this weekend, which SAG-AFTRA says is due to the "close proximity of the calling of the strike" to the event.

News that a strike focused on video game voice actors has been brewing for a long time. Last September, while striking against the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers, SAG-AFTRA sought to authorize a second strike against video game companies. News that a strike was imminent once again surfaced in March during SXSW when SAG-AFTRA national executive director and chief negotiator Duncan Crabtree-Ireland said the odds of a strike against video game companies was "50-50 or more likely."

"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," Interactive Media Agreement spokesperson Audrey Cooling said in a statement provided to IGN. "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."

Over the last year, using GenAI in video games has become a hot-button and polarizing topic in the gaming industry. Critics argue the use of AI is stripping away the jobs of game developers. A few notable examples of gaming companies using GenAI in its projects include Ubisoft introducing a ghostwriting tool to help its game writers develop better dialogue for NPCs and save time writing said lines. Square Enix confirmed in January that its PlayStation-exclusive Fomastars features AI-generated art. Additionally, Wired reported this week that Activision allegedly made and sold AI-generated cosmetics in Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3.

Taylor is a Reporter at IGN. You can follow her on Twitter @TayNixster.