Video game actors’ strike ends after tentative deal is reached

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

The previous Interactive Media Agreement between the actors and video game companies expired in July 2022, and it did not have any protections for artificial intelligence, according to the Screen Actors Guild-American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (SAG-AFTRA), which counts 2,600 voice actors, stunt performers, motion capture and performance capture actors among its members. 

The performers began striking last 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 Wednesday.

The SAG-AFTRA National Board said it will meet in a special session on Thursday to discuss the details of the deal. If approved, the agreement will be sent out for ratification, and the details will be made public.

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

“This agreement builds on three decades of successful partnership between the interactive entertainment industry and the union,” she said 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.”

Many actors celebrated the news in posts on social media.

Damon Alums, who voices the character Gustav in Spark Riders 3000, called the end of the strike “amazing news.”

“Ready to get back to work,” he wrote in a post on X.

Cat Protano, who has voice acted in the games Genshin Impact and Avowed, expressed similar enthusiasm.

“WE’RE FREEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!” she wrote in a post on X.

Some, like Shin Megami Tensei V: Vengeance voice actor, teased upcoming projects.

“Now that the SAG-AFTRA video game strike is over, get ready to start seeing role announcements I’ve been sitting on…” Hackney wrote.