SAG-AFTRA remains “frustratingly far apart” from major game companies

SAG-AFTRA – the union that represents 160,000 actors, voiceover artists, and other media professionals – has issued an update about the video game strike, saying it remains “frustratingly far apart” from video game studios and publishers.

In a statement, the union said it was working to address “alarming loopholes” in a proposal prepared by the bargaining group, which boasts representatives from Activision, Blindlight, Disney Character Voices, EA, Formosa Interactive, Insomniac Games, Llama Productions, Take-Two, and WB Games.

“The bargaining group would have you believe that we are close to reaching a deal,” the union said. “This is not the case. They also are hoping our members will turn on each other. We encourage you to read this extensive updated comparison chart of AI proposals to see for yourself how far apart we remain on fundamental AI protections for all performers.

“They want to use all past performances and any performance they can source from outside the contract without any of the protections being bargained at all. You could be told nothing about your replica being used, offered nothing in the way of payment, and you could do nothing about it. They want to be able to make your replica continue to work, as you, during a future strike, whether you like it or not. And once you’ve given your specific consent for how your replica can be used, they refuse to tell you what they actually did with it.”

The union did acknowledge, however, that whilst it has yet to find enough common ground with the bargaining group, it has had “great success with other employers,” with more than 160 upcoming games signing up to the “interim and independent agreements.”

“Those agreements contain the protections we have been asking the bargaining group for – terms that are clearly feasible and acceptable to a great number of game companies of all sizes, even as the bargaining companies resist,” it said.

“That’s why it’s important to check the status of any role you’re considering. If you get an audition, check the status of the game at sagaftra.org/videogamestrike. Know that the only games that are safe to work – those with AI protections – are those that show up as ‘Let’s Play’.”

SAG-AFTRA voted to strike at the end of July after it failed to reach an agreement with the convenience bargaining group over rights and protection concerns raised by the industry’s exploration of AI technologies.

Yesterday, we reported that two Zenless Zone Zero voice actors claimed they had been replaced for participating in the SAG-AFTRA strikes.