Recently, the internet has been buzzing with the news of strikes by the Writers Guild of America (WGA) and the Screen Actors Guild – American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (SAG-AFTRA). The strikes have halted most of the US film and TV production, and it looks like they won’t be ending soon. With speculation suggesting they could last until at least October, there’s been a rising concern about the impact on video games, given the significant role of voice actors who are part of SAG-AFTRA.
Despite the widespread concerns, our investigation into the matter, including conversations with several voice actors, suggests that the current strikes will not significantly impact the video gaming industry.
Presently, both WGA and SAG-AFTRA, major unions in the film and TV sector, are on strike. Both have declared strikes due to unresolved conflicts with the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers (AMPTP). Notably, the AMPTP has no connections with the video game industry.
At the heart of these strikes are failed contract negotiations with AMPTP, which represents major studios and streaming services. The actors and writers are worried about the impact of streaming on their earnings, with many not receiving residuals from streams of their content. The rise of AI technologies and potential exploitation of actors’ likenesses without their consent or compensation adds to their concerns.
Ashly Burch, a well-known voice actor in video games, indicates that the strike is an effort to protect the future of the profession. Similarly, Roger Clark, the voice behind Arthur Morgan in Red Dead Redemption 2, emphasizes the importance of negotiation for better outcomes.
So, why won’t video games be impacted by the SAG-AFTRA strike? Simply put, the video game companies aren’t involved in the ongoing conflicts. The existing contracts between the unions and AMPTP, which don’t cover most video games, have expired.
BAFTA-winning voice actor Cissy Jones clarifies that the strike only affects contracts related to film and TV covered by the AMPTP. As she puts it, “The interactive (VG) contract is not struck.”
While the current strike may not impact the video game industry, it does not mean it will always be the case. Jones points out that the concerns leading to the WGA and SAG-AFTRA strikes, like AI use and the potential for royalties and better pay, are also relevant in the gaming industry.
She says, “There needs to be a way for us all to exist in this space, and not have the creatives cut out completely so a few millionaires make a few more bucks.” The current strikes serve as a first step in recognizing and confronting these challenges, and they could indeed send ripples across all creative industries, including video games.
