The long-running strike by video game voice actors and performers has officially come to an end, after nearly a year of industrial action. The Screen Actors Guild – American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (SAG-AFTRA) confirmed earlier this week that a ‘tentative agreement’ had been reached on the interactive media contract, signaling a potential end to the strike that began back in July 2024. The union has officially suspended strike action as of noon PT on June 11, bringing a sense of relief to both performers and players alike.
The strike began after the union and major video game companies, including Activision, Disney Character Voices, Electronic Arts, Epic Games, Insomniac Games, and others, failed to agree on provisions regarding the use of AI in gaming. Over 98% of union members voted in favor of the strike, and the demand for fair compensation and consent for AI usage became a central issue.
Although the union hasn’t signed everything off yet, a special meeting on June 12 will determine whether the agreement is officially ratified. If all goes as planned, the paperwork will be sent out to the union’s members for final approval.
The suspension of the strike brings immediate benefits, not only for the voice actors who can now return to work but also for players, who have been affected by the disruption. Games like Destiny 2 and World of Warcraft had unvoiced NPCs in otherwise voiced scenes due to the strike. Even larger franchises, such as Call of Duty and League of Legends, were affected, with some characters recast and others modified using AI, much to the concern of the gaming community.
One of the most striking examples of the issues raised by the strike came from Horizon actor Ashly Burch, who shared a now-deleted video. In it, the director of software engineering at Sony, Sharwin Raghoebardajal, interacted with an AI version of Aloy, the character voiced by Burch. The AI-generated voice and facial animations were noticeably stiff and lifeless, drawing attention to the ethical concerns about AI usage in video games.
Burch voiced her concerns clearly: ‘You have to get our consent before you make an AI version of us in any form, you have to compensate us fairly, and you have to tell us how you’re using this AI double.’ For her, and many others, the strike was a matter of ensuring the future of video game acting and ensuring that performers were treated fairly.
Now, as the industrial action ends, the gaming industry can move forward, but this strike has left an indelible mark on the ongoing conversation about AI in gaming and the importance of fair labor practices in the entertainment industry.
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