AceShowbiz - Negotiations between the Screen Actors Guild-American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (SAG-AFTRA) and major video game companies, including Activision Productions, Electronic Arts, and Warner Bros Discovery, began in October 2022. The Interactive Media Agreement that covers performers expired in November 2022 and has been extended during talks.

SAG-AFTRA members authorized the strike in September 2022 with a 98.32% vote. The decision follows months of negotiations with game developers, with a central issue being artificial intelligence (AI) protections for workers.

The union is concerned about AI systems potentially being used to replicate performers' voices or create digital likenesses without their consent or fair compensation. SAG-AFTRA demands clear and enforceable language in the contract affirming such protections.

Audrey Cooling, a spokesperson for the video game producers, has stated that they have offered AI protections that require consent and fair compensation. However, SAG-AFTRA claims that the studios' definition of "performer" is key to understanding who would be protected.

The strike began at 12:01 A.M. PST on July 26, affecting over 2,500 performers. Games not affected by the strike include those signed to an interim interactive media agreement, tiered-budget independent interactive agreement, or interim interactive localization agreement.

While the video game industry generates over $100 billion annually, Wedbush managing director Michael Pachter believes voice actors constitute a small portion of development costs, and it's unlikely that studios will delay game releases to meet the union's demands.

This strike marks the second major work stoppage for video game performers under SAG-AFTRA. In 2016, a strike lasted 11 months before securing a bonus compensation structure for voice actors and performance capture artists. Concerns about AI usage also influenced last year's film and television strikes by SAG-AFTRA.