Key Takeaways
- SAG-AFTRA will begin a strike against video game companies on Thursday.
- A central issue is compensation and consent for performers working on AI content.
- Negotiations have been active since October 2022.
SAG-AFTRA, the union best known for representing Hollywood actors, is moving forward with a strike against several major companies in the video game industry, starting at 12:01 a.m. on July 26. At issue is compensation and consent for the use of actors’ voices and likenesses in AI content that is likely to become increasingly common. The union has been tackling similar issues in the film and television industries and is once again flexing its muscle, this time by targeting video game makers.
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Issues on the agenda
Negotiations with the gaming companies have been ongoing since October 2022, and some agreements have reportedly been reached on other topics. But SAG-AFTRA says the companies have refused to “unequivocally affirm in clear and enforceable language” that they will not sign any AI-related agreements when it comes to the employment of their members. In fact, union members voted to authorize a strike in September 2023 by a 98.32% majority.
On the other side of the conflict are some of the biggest companies in the games industry, including Activision Blizzard, EA, Disney, Take 2, and WB Games. Companies like Activision sometimes oppose unionization, trying to keep labor costs to a minimum amid rising gaming budgets, but that’s not always the case. This week, the Blizzard team working on World of Warcraft successfully unionized without any resistance from management.
Why is AI so important to video game performers?
The advent of generative AI may make it easier than ever for studios to use the images and voices of actors. Even if a developer hires a voice actor to act out a script for a game, they could then use AI to add lines they didn’t agree to record, or insert their voice into an entirely different title. Similarly, image generation technology is becoming advanced enough to blend an actor’s face into a character they didn’t agree to play.
All of this is a concern in movies and TV shows, but in games there are generally few union protections and the temptation to use every new tool available is strong. Many games have become incredibly complex, taking years from start to finish and requiring multiple tweaks for the best gameplay. AI is already being used to instantly solve many development problems, such as realistic terrain.
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