We Got a Strike of Video Game Actors Before GTA 6: Big Releases Under Threat Due to Increased AI Use

Major video game producers like Activision, Warner Bros, and Walt Disney face a potential strike by Hollywood performers concerning the use of artificial intelligence (AI). SAG-AFTRA, a union that represents over 2,500 video game performers, announced this strike following a year and a half of negotiations over a new contract. While the parties have settled issues like wages and job safety, AI-related protections remain unresolved. This move by SAG-AFTRA, which had already significantly impacted Hollywood with a strike by film and television actors last year, may affect upcoming releases such as GTA 6 and Call of Duty: Black Ops 6. This is prepared by SSP.

The strike targets studios planning to use AI to replace real voice actors, which includes major companies like publishers Take 2 and Activision as well as developers Insomniac and WB Games. Although voice and motion capture work for major projects is often completed years in advance, the strike has the potential to impact games still in development or not yet announced.

SAG-AFTRA acknowledges that the companies were willing to compromise on 24 out of 25 demands, but the deal breaker was the necessary protections against AI's encroachments. Duncan Crabtree-Ireland, SAG-AFTRA's National Executive Director and Chief Negotiator, expressed his disappointment over the unresolved issue, emphasizing the importance of AI protection in the future of game acting. Developers and publishers who wish to work with SAG members will need to sign new interim agreements that meet the union's AI protection requirements. Detailed information is available on the SAG-AFTRA website, noting whose actors are on strike, although this won’t assist much with unannounced titles.