Video game performers breathe life into the monsters, superheroes, zombies and villains of countless beloved video games, but on Friday many of them took on a new role: striking workers. The performers for major game companies like Activision and Warner Bros. stopped work just after midnight.
After 18 months of negotiating with a group of video game production companies, the workers said they aren't satisfied with the artificial intelligence protections on the table. Their union, the Screen Actors Guild-American Federation of Television and Radio Artists, said they want informed consent for the artificial intelligence use of their voices and images. SAG-AFTRA's chief negotiator Duncan Crabtree-Ireland said in a statement that the video game performers are demanding "the same fundamental protections as performers in film, television, streaming, and music.
" Audrey Cooling, a spokesperson for the video game producers, said that the companies are disappointed in the move, and that the union and producers have made agreements on 24 out of 25 proposals. “Our offer is directly responsive to SAG-AFTRA’s concerns and extends meaningful AI protections that include requiring consent and fair compensation to all performers working under the IMA [Interactive Media Agreement]," Cooling said in a statement. The union disagrees.
Voice actor Sarah Elmaleh chairs the negotiating committee for the workers, and said the video game companies do not consider workers who act out movements in vi.
