SAG-AFTRA Secures Deal to End Video Game Performers' Strike

The video game voice actors and performers' strike has officially concluded.

The Screen Actors Guild - American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (SAG-AFTRA) announced a tentative agreement on the interactive media contract earlier this week, potentially resolving nearly a year of labor disputes in the video game industry. SAG-AFTRA officially halted strike actions as of noon PT yesterday (June 11).

The SAG-AFTRA video game strike began in July 2024 after negotiations between the union and major game companies—Activision, Blindlight, Disney Character Voices, Electronic Arts, Epic Games, Formosa Interactive, Insomniac Games, Take 2 Productions, and WB Games—failed to reach consensus on AI-related provisions. Over 98% of union members voted in favor of the strike.

While the agreement awaits final approval at a special meeting today, June 12, it will then be sent to SAG-AFTRA members for ratification if all proceeds smoothly.

This resolution allows video game performers to return to work, reducing disruptions for players and their favorite titles. Games like Destiny 2 and World of Warcraft experienced unvoiced NPCs in otherwise voiced scenes, likely due to the strike. Last year, SAG-AFTRA targeted League of Legends after Riot allegedly attempted to undermine the strike by canceling a game. Activision also confirmed Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 characters were recast following player concerns over new voices, and Epic Games faces an unfair labor charge after SAG-AFTRA filed a complaint with the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) regarding an AI-voiced Darth Vader NPC in Fortnite.

A story from Horizon actor Ashly Burch underscores the strike’s importance. In a now-deleted video, Sony Interactive Entertainment’s director of software engineering, Sharwin Raghoebardajal, interacted with an AI-powered Aloy using voice prompts and AI-generated speech and facial animations.

The voice from Aloy was noticeably not Burch’s, but a robotic tone resembling text-to-speech generators. AI Aloy’s facial movements appeared rigid, with lifeless eyes during the interaction.

“You must obtain our consent before creating an AI version of us in any form, provide fair compensation, and disclose how the AI double is used,” Burch stated. “I’m passionate about this industry and its art form. I want future generations of actors to thrive and deliver incredible game performances. If [the union and striking performers] don’t succeed, that future is at risk.”