The Screen Actors Guild‐American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (SAG-AFTRA) has called a strike against major video game companies. The strike, which began on July 26, comes after nearly two years of renegotiations.
The union cites concerns over artificial intelligence-related protections for workers and pay issues. “The employers refuse to plainly affirm, in clear and enforceable language, that they will protect all performers covered by this contract in their AI language,” SAG-AFTRA said.
Negotiations began in October 2022, and members authorized a strike in a 98.32% yes vote in September. The decision follows months of negotiations with major video game companies.
“We strike as a matter of last resort. We have given this process absolutely as much time as we responsibly can,” said SAG-AFTRA.
Interestingly, the strike will not impact the development of Grand Theft Auto 6 (GTA6). The game is exempt from the strike along with other titles that were already in development before September 2023. This exemption suggests that the voiceover and motion capture work on GTA 6 may already be done. Therefore, there should be no delays over labor disputes for this highly anticipated game.
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