Article

SAG-AFTRA Calls for Strikes in the Video Game Industry

Matt

29 Jul 2024 • 8 min read

SAG-AFTRA, the union representing screen actors, voice artists, stunts and movement performers, initiated a strike in the video game industry due to ongoing disputes over residuals and the lack of provisions in place with regards to the use of AI in the sector.

This article aims to cover the current concerns and demands of the union, how the strikes might compare with the 2023 union actions applied to the screen sector (Film, Streamers, HETV), and the potential impacts the strike might have for the video game industry.

SAG-AFTRA Video Game Strike Press Conference

SAG-AFTRA Interactive Media Agreement Negotiating Committee members announced a video game strike after 18 months of negotiations with video game companies which failed to produce a new contract.

Speakers: Sarah Elmaleh - Video game director and actor, Chair of the SAG-AFTRA Interactive Media Agreement Negotiating Committee Andi Norris - Actor, performance capture video game actor, SAG-AFTRA Interactive Media Agreement Negotiating Committee member Zeke Alton - Actor, video game actor, SAG-AFTRA Interactive Media Agreement Negotiating Committee member

Key Points of Concern and Causes for the Strikes

Announced the strike for video games due to failed negotiations with key game studios.
Emphasized the need for comprehensive protection against AI exploitation for performers.
Three types of performances (voice, face, body) require protection.
Two major issues: the scope of AI protections and protections against generative AI and synthetic performances.
AI protections must cover all members, including those performing as digital replicas (including stunts and movement perfomers)
Issues with consent, compensation, and transparency in current offers.
Some AI use in the industry may be unknown, raising concerns.
Comprehensive strike against companies not agreeing to protections, with specific exemptions.
All 160,000 SAG-AFTRA members are affected by the strike.
Strike effective from 12:01 AM, July 26.

As the strike begins, the video game industry is likely to face a period of extended negotiations and uncertainty. While challenges such as industry halts, game release delays, the drafting of new policies, and revised contract agreements are expected outcomes of the union's efforts, this situation also presents a clear opportunity for the industry to reassess and improve its work practices—particularly with regard to generative AI. This scenario also serves as a strong catalyst for public awareness about the value and protection of human skills, expertise, and artistry—not only in the creative sector but also across other industries supported by active unions.

Screen Strikes (2023) Compared to Video Game Strikes (2024)

Both the film/HETV and video game strikes are driven by core issues of fair compensation, residuals, working conditions, and the recent use of generative AI in production workflows. Just over a year ago, the US film and streaming industry experienced a complete halt, addressing residuals for writers involved in streaming content and the introduction of AI technology into large motion picture studios workflows. This highlighted issues related to performance ownership, likeness protection, voice fingerprinting, acting legacy, as well as to cover the role of stunts and movement performers on the same level as actors and voice performers.

Given the impact of the screen industry strikes of 2023, it is very likely that the current labour actions will affect the entire video game industry in a similar way, causing financial pressure on major studios due to delays and contract renegotiations (which they are likely to manage), and the collapse of smaller service providers reliant on large studios (less able to impact delay and opportuniy shortage during time of negociations).

Impact on Production Schedules

In both industries (screen and game), strikes generally lead to production delays. In film and High-End TV (HETV), this often results in postponed release dates disrupting content pipelines across theatrical, streaming, broadcast, and domestic releases. The sooner a studio agrees to new terms, the sooner work can resume. For instance, back in 2023, A24 was one of the first film production companies to agree to the new SAG-AFTRA terms, which improved working conditions for collaborators and allowed the studio to resume work (while other production companies faced delays by engaging in extended negociations). This resulted in strong appreciation from performers and dominance of the studio during in the awards season (as A24 manage to release a large portfolio of titles at this time - on top of having great films to start with).

The video game industry will likely face similar challenges, with potential delays in title development and future releases. The impact may be more pronounced due to the extended nature of AAA acting contracts, which include motion capture, voice recording, pick-ups, and more — some contracts ranging from dailies (one day) to two years (as seen with Red Dead Redemption 2). It's uncertain how much the strike will affect the current release schedule of big game studios, but they are very likely to impact the windows allocated for Game of the Year selections and other industry awards for the 2024-2025 period.

Certain games that are produced by struck companies are not currently being struck because the terms of the Collective Bargaining Agreement are still in effect for those games. The search function will also let you know if the game you are looking up is one of these games. PLEASE NOTE: Although members will not be disciplined for working these games, they may still choose to stand in solidarity with their fellow members by refusing to cross a picket line for these games, and their employer is contractually prohibited from discriminating against them for this choice. If you have been engaged under a daily contract for one of these games, you can choose to show solidarity with your fellow union members by not signing new contracts with the game.
SAG-AFTRA strike website

Financial Repercussions

Financially, strikes can lead to significant losses (estimated at $6 billion for the screen sector in 2023, US territory only). The video game industry, particularly high-budget projects (often similar to blockbuster feature films), might suffer financial setbacks due to delayed launches and contract revisions.

Performers, creative teams, service providers, and small outsourced studios around the world are likely to struggle the most to secure work opportunities during and after the strikes (at least until the effects of the halt fade). The recent coverage of the BBC about the fragility of video game industry only underlined ongoing volatility in sector a few days before the annoucement for social action.

Should the strikes extend to the timeframe of the 2023 union actions, support schemes will be necessary to help SMEs, talent and self-employed professionals until satisfactory negociations are reached - or the industry will be likely to suffer from a deplited workforce once the sector is ready to resume work.

Positive Outcomes

The outcome of the screen industry strike of 2023 has been the access of greater residuals for writers, increased awareness about the risks and non-consensual use of AI in the sector, promotion for the protection of physical and voice performances, ensuring consent is secured before the use of likeness, and providing retribution for any use (or reuse) of 3D mesh models from scanned actors - whilst some provisions have been secured (such as residuals), others are still very much opened for conversation (mostly the topics about AI).

It's very likely the video game industry will need to address similar concerns and regulatory requirements with the current union actions. Whilst the ongoing deals with game studios have been unsatisfactory - hence the call for strike - future negociations and collective bargaining would lead towards greater transparency, consent, and fairness for performers and collaborators involved in the process of making video games.

Conclusion

While immediate strikes are likely to pose challenges and impact the entire video game industry for the months to come, the potential for long-term positive change and transparent regulations are substantial.

The strikes of the entertainement industry (Film, HEDTV, Video Games) have also became a vehicule for greater awarness about the risk of unregulated AI technology for the creation of cultural products and services, and a stage for the promotion / protection / advocy of human performance in contrast to synthetic and prompted work.

On a very personal note, I find surprising that the video game industry has not learned from the impact of the previous SAG-AFTRA strikes and seems to have failed to undertake preventive actions regarding the use of generative AI and non-regulated use of 3D assets as part of the production pipeline. The lack of transparency with regards to data and asset management is also very concerning, not only for a risk of performance compensation, but also from a stance of data protection and copyright infringement.

With many AAA titles set for release in the next 12 months, major studios are about to enter a highly competitive period. Agreeing to union terms early is the best course of action from an ethical stand-point (needless to say) but also strategically sound to ensure new titles are released on time to the players. The most anticipated GTA VI (Q3/Q4 2025) is not struck, but Take-Two Interactive is featured on the list of strucked organisations.

More info about the strike

For more detailed information on the ongoing SAG-AFTRA strikes and their impact, visit SAG-AFTRA's official site: https://www.sagaftra.org/videogamestrike

SAG-AFTRA Video Games Strike FAQ: https://www.sagaftra.org/videogamestrike-faq

Support the actions of SAG-AFTRA by using and sharing the following assets:https://www.sagaftra.org/files/sa_documents/Fans_Allies%20Social%20Media%20Tool%20Kit_%20SAG-AFTRA%20Video%20Game%20Performers%20Strike.pdf