Video game actors’ strike ends after tentative deal is reached

The video game actors’ strike was suspended on Wednesday after a tentative deal with game publishers was announced, bringing an end to the union’s nearly year-long strike.

The previous Interactive Media Agreement between the actors and video game companies expired in July 2022, and did not have any protections for artificial intelligence, according to the SAG-AFTRA, which counts 2,600 voice actors, stunt performers, motion capture and performance capture actors among its union members. 

The actors began striking in July.

Activision Productions, Blindlight, Disney Character Voices, Electronic Arts Productions, Formosa Interactive, Insomniac Games, Llama Productions, Take 2 Productions and WB Games were among the struck video game companies. The strike also applied to specific games on a case-by-case basis. 

The future of generative AI — and how it can be used to replace labor — was a crucial sticking point for actors and writers during last year’s Hollywood strikes. While the actors and writers unions came to deals with studios in 2023, negotiations between video game actors and major game developers continued.

Terms of the new contract have not yet been announced.

But in a news release about the tentative deal, SAG-AFTRA National Executive Director Duncan Crabtree-Ireland mentioned progress had been made regarding AI provisions.

“Patience and persistence has resulted in a deal that puts in place the necessary A.I. guardrails that defend performers’ livelihoods in the A.I. age, alongside other important gains,” he stated.

Crabtree-Ireland, who also served as the chief negotiator, acknowledged “the sacrifices made by video game performers and the dedication of the Interactive Media Agreement Negotiating Committee throughout these many months of the video game strike.”

SAG-AFTRA President Fran Drescher also commended the “incredible courage and persistence” of the video game performers, as well as “the tireless work of our negotiating committee” in helping secure a deal.

A spokesperson for the union did not immediately respond to a request for additional comment on Wednesday.

Audrey Cooling, a spokesperson for the video game producers party to the Interactive Media Agreement, also commended the deal.

“This agreement builds on three decades of successful partnership between the interactive entertainment industry and the union,” she sand in an email statement. “It delivers historic wage increases of over 24% for performers, enhanced health and safety protections, and industry-leading AI provisions requiring transparency, consent and compensation for the use of digital replicas in games. We look forward to continuing to work with performers to create new and engaging entertainment experiences for billions of players throughout the world.”