US game voice actors' strike against AI ends
SAG-AFTRA Video Game Strike Suspended at Noon PT Today | SAG-AFTRA
https://www.sagaftra.org/sag-aftra-video-game-strike-suspended-noon-pt-today
SAG-AFTRA National Board Approves Interactive Media Agreement | SAG-AFTRA
https://www.sagaftra.org/sag-aftra-national-board-approves-interactive-media-agreement
The SAG-AFTRA video game voice actors' strike has come to an end | Polygon
https://www.polygon.com/gaming/606500/sag-aftra-video-game-voice-actors-strike-ending
SAG-AFTRA had been negotiating with major game studios such as Take 2 Productions, Electronic Arts, Activision Blizzard, and Warner Bros. Games since October 2022, primarily to 'rectify the situation in which generative AI uses the assets of actors once hired to generate content without the actors' consent or compensation for their performance in order to reduce costs.' However, the negotiations broke down, and SAG-AFTRA authorized a strike by all union members working in the games division under the organization's interactive media contract.
Actors' union SAG-AFTRA announces strike over use of AI in games - GIGAZINE
After nearly a year of strike action, the union and the gaming companies represented by the Interactive Media Agreement Negotiating Committee have reached a tentative agreement. In a brief statement announcing the end of the strike, SAG-AFTRA said, 'The SAG-AFTRA National Board of Directors will hold an extraordinary meeting on June 12, 2025 to consider the proposed tentative agreement.'
The contents of the approved agreement were made public on June 12, the day after the strike was declared over. If this agreement is ratified, the remuneration of game voice actors will increase by 15.7% from before ratification, and will be increased by 3% each in November 2025, November 2026, and November 2027. In addition, the agreement includes improvements to the cap on overtime hours, health insurance premiums, and retirement pension rates.
Regarding the use of AI, which was the main point of contention, the bill stipulated that voice actors must be paid a minimum wage if a digital replica of them is created using AI, and that compensation must be paid if a visual performance from one game is reused in another game. In addition, the bill emphasizes the importance of the informed consent process for various uses of AI, including the right of parties to pause the process at any time.
Other new safety measures include giving performers rest periods, not allowing them to perform dangerous acts such as stunts during auditions, and requiring medical professionals to be present or available during filming where dangerous acts or working conditions are planned.
The details of the agreement will be made public to SAG-AFTRA members, who will then vote on whether to ratify it by 5:00 p.m. PDT on Wednesday, July 9, 2025.
A spokesperson for the Interactive Media Agreement Negotiating Committee told game media outlet Polygon, 'We are pleased to have reached a tentative contract agreement that reflects the important contributions of game industry performers, as represented by SAG-AFTRA. This agreement builds on 30 years of successful partnership between the interactive entertainment industry and the union. Performers' wages have been historic increases, health and safety protections have been strengthened, and the agreement includes an industry-leading AI clause that requires transparency, consent, and compensation for the use of digital replicas in games. We look forward to working with performers to create new and compelling entertainment experiences for billions of players around the world.'
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