Video Game Actors to Go on Strike Over AI

Key insights

7 takeaways

01
SAG-AFTRA video game actors are initiating a strike following a 21-month impasse in negotiations over AI protections, specifically regarding the use of digital replicas of their faces, voices, and bodies.
02
Industry representatives claim an agreement was reached on 24 of 25 proposals, including wage increases and AI consent requirements, but the union maintains that current offers on informed consent and compensation remain insufficient.
03
Hasbro is pivoting its corporate identity from a toy company to a 'games, IP and toys' company, committing $125 million in annual capital expenditures toward video game development.
04
Hasbro reported $45 million in licensing revenue from the mobile game 'Monopoly Go' in the first half of 2024, with an additional $60 million projected for the second half of the year.
05
Humble Games is undergoing a restructuring that involves mass layoffs and the transfer of its publishing operations to an outside firm, a move disputed by employees who characterize the action as a company shutdown.
06
Epic Games is removing Fortnite from the Samsung Galaxy app store to protest Samsung's decision to block the side-loading of apps by default on its Android devices.
07
Electronic Arts has reversed its decision to remove in-game currency as a payment option for the 'Apex Legends' battle pass, allowing players to continue using earned currency for premium rewards.

Summary

Video game voice and performance actors represented by SAG-AFTRA initiated a strike in July 2024 following a 21-month impasse in negotiations with major Western video game publishers. The primary catalyst for the labor action is the integration of generative artificial intelligence in game development. Performers are seeking explicit protections against the unauthorized use of AI to replicate their voices, faces, and bodies, arguing that such technology poses a direct threat to their professional livelihoods and ability to provide informed consent.

The strike impacts major industry players, including Take-Two Interactive, Insomniac Games, Electronic Arts, Activision, and Formosa Interactive. While industry representatives maintain that agreements were reached on 24 of 25 proposals—including wage increases and safety provisions—the union asserts that current offers regarding AI protections remain insufficient. The previous Interactive Media Agreement, which lacked specific AI safeguards, expired in November 2022, though both parties had continued to operate under its terms during the extended negotiation period.

The scope of the strike primarily affects AAA game productions, as smaller projects with budgets under $30 million may continue under tiered agreements. The work stoppage halts the recording of verbal and physical performances and restricts actors from promoting titles covered by the union’s Interactive Media Agreement. This action follows a period of rising anxiety among performers regarding the potential for AI to manipulate their likenesses and performances without compensation or authorization. The strike represents a significant escalation in the ongoing labor struggle to establish industry-wide standards for AI usage in interactive media.