SAG-AFTRA's strike against major video game companies, including Activision and Electronic Arts, highlights critical concerns about AI usage and fair compensation. This article details the union's position, the proposed solutions, and the ongoing negotiations.

SAG-AFTRA Initiates Strike Against Leading Video Game Studios

Key Issues and the Strike Announcement

On July 26th, SAG-AFTRA commenced a strike against prominent video game companies, including Activision, Electronic Arts, and others. This action, following prolonged negotiations, underscores the union's deep concerns regarding AI's impact on performers. The dispute centers on the unregulated use of AI, with the union emphasizing the need for protections against unauthorized use of actors' likenesses and voices. The fear is that AI could displace human performers, particularly in smaller roles crucial for career advancement.

Temporary Solutions and New Agreements

To address the challenges, SAG-AFTRA has developed the Tiered-Budget Independent Interactive Media Agreement (I-IMA). This innovative agreement offers a tiered structure based on production budget, ensuring fair compensation for projects ranging from $250,000 to $30 million. This framework, initially created for indie games, incorporates crucial AI protections previously rejected by the industry bargaining group. A noteworthy development is a side deal with Replica Studios, granting union actors control over the licensing of their digital voice replicas.

Further temporary solutions are provided by the Interim Interactive Media Agreement and the Interim Interactive Localization Agreement. These agreements address key issues including: Right of Rescission, compensation, AI/digital modeling, rest periods, meal periods, and more. Importantly, projects under these agreements are exempt from the strike, allowing for continued work during the labor action. These agreements, however, exclude expansion packs and DLC released post-launch.

The Negotiation Timeline and the Union's Determination

Negotiations, which started in October 2022, culminated in a 98.32% vote in favor of strike authorization on September 24, 2023. Despite progress on other issues, the core disagreement remains the lack of sufficient AI protections for performers. SAG-AFTRA President Fran Drescher and other union leaders have strongly emphasized the union's commitment to fair treatment and the industry's responsibility to protect its performers in the face of evolving technology. The union highlights the substantial profits of the video game industry and the critical contribution of its members.

The strike underscores SAG-AFTRA's unwavering commitment to securing fair compensation and robust AI protections for its members, ensuring their voices and likenesses are not exploited in the increasingly AI-driven video game landscape.