Hollywood Game Actors Strike Ends with AI Deal

Published Date : 11/06/2025 

The union for Hollywood's video game performers has reached a tentative contract with several video game companies, which may bring an end to an almost year-long strike tied to the use of artificial intelligence. 

The union for Hollywood's video game performers has reached a tentative contract with several video game companies, which may bring an end to an almost year-long strike tied to the use of artificial intelligence. Members of the Screen Actors Guild-American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (SAG-AFTRA) went on strike in July 2024 after negotiations with game industry giants came to a halt over AI protections.

SAG-AFTRA stated that the unregulated use of AI posed 'an equal or even greater threat' to performers in the video game industry than it does in film and television, due to the capacity to cheaply and easily create convincing digital replicas of performers' voices. The performers were worried that unchecked use of AI could provide game makers with a means to displace them—by training an AI to replicate an actor's voice, or to create a digital replica of their likeness without consent.

'Patience and persistence has resulted in a deal that puts in place the necessary AI guardrails that defend performers' livelihoods in the AI age, alongside other important gains,' SAG-AFTRA national executive director and chief negotiator Duncan Crabtree-Ireland said in a statement. The union had been negotiating with an industry bargaining group consisting of signatory video game companies, including divisions of Activision and Electronic Arts.

The companies involved in the negotiations include Activision Productions Inc., Blindlight LLC, Disney Character Voices Inc., Electronic Arts Productions Inc., Epic Games Inc., Formosa Interactive LLC, Insomniac Games Inc., Take 2 Productions Inc., and WB Games Inc. The union said that it anticipates that the terms of a strike suspension agreement will be finalized with the companies soon. Union members will remain on strike until such an agreement is reached.

The tentative contract deal still needs approval by the National Board and ratification by union membership. Video game performers had previously gone on strike in October 2016, with a tentative deal reached 11 months later, in September 2017. That strike helped secure a bonus compensation structure for voice actors and performance capture artists.

The ongoing negotiations and strike highlight the growing concerns over the impact of AI on the entertainment industry, particularly in the video game sector. As technology continues to advance, ensuring the protection and fair treatment of performers remains a critical issue for unions and industry leaders alike. 

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQS): 

Q: What is SAG-AFTRA?

A: SAG-AFTRA is the Screen Actors Guild-American Federation of Television and Radio Artists, a labor union representing over 160,000 actors, voice actors, and performers in film, television, radio, and video games.

Q: Why did video game actors go on strike in July 2024?

A: Video game actors went on strike in July 2024 due to concerns over the unregulated use of artificial intelligence, which they feared could displace them by creating digital replicas of their voices and likenesses without consent.

Q: Which video game companies were involved in the negotiations?

A: The companies involved in the negotiations include Activision Productions Inc., Blindlight LLC, Disney Character Voices Inc., Electronic Arts Productions Inc., Epic Games Inc., Formosa Interactive LLC, Insomniac Games Inc., Take 2 Productions Inc., and WB Games Inc.

Q: What are the key protections that SAG-AFTRA is seeking in the new contract?

A: SAG-AFTRA is seeking protections against the unregulated use of AI, including measures to prevent the creation of digital replicas of performers' voices and likenesses without their consent, as well as other important gains for performers.

Q: What happens next after the tentative contract deal is reached?

A: The tentative contract deal still needs approval by the National Board and ratification by union membership. Union members will remain on strike until the terms of a strike suspension agreement are finalized with the companies. 

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