Video game actors and publishers have resumed negotiations once again

Video game voice actors and publishers may be moving closer to ending their strike, as SAG-AFTRA has confirmed that negotiations on the interactive media agreement will resume on Wednesday, October 23rd. This agreement governs the terms for video game performances, and SAG-AFTRA has been in discussions with companies like Activision, Insomniac Games, Take Two, and Electronic Arts for nearly two years.

The dispute escalated when, in September of last year, SAG-AFTRA members voted to authorise a strike, warning that if a deal wasn’t reached, they would take action. After months of failed negotiations, the union officially launched the strike on July 26th, with its members picketing video game companies.

One of the central issues in the negotiations has been the lack of protections for voice and motion capture performers, particularly in relation to the use of AI. SAG-AFTRA argued that the bargaining committee refused to provide adequate safeguards for these workers, while the companies countered that their proposed protections were in line with current industry standards. This deadlock led to the standoff and eventual strike.

In a recent development, SAG-AFTRA added the popular game League of Legends to its list of struck titles and filed an unfair labour complaint against Formosa Entertainment. The company, which provides voice acting services for Riot Games, was accused of trying to sidestep the strike by hiring non-union actors.

As of now, neither SAG-AFTRA nor the video game companies involved in the bargaining have provided further comments on the renewed talks. However, the resumption of negotiations offers hope that a resolution may be on the horizon, potentially bringing an end to the months-long strike that has affected video game production and voice acting performances across the industry.