The major video game companies involved in negotiations with SAG-AFTRA, which represents voice and motion capture performers in video games, say they have made their final offer in negotiations to end the actors strike as it approaches its 300-day mark.
In a statement provided to Variety Monday, SAG-AFTRA “condemns” the video game companies’ move to release the proposal for publication and says its negotiating committee “responded to that offer within 72 hours – on May 2 – with our own response to the open issues relating to artificial intelligence” and that “we have to date received no response to our counter offer.”
The actors union went on strike July 16, 2024 after 18 months of negotiations. At this point, the strike hinges on a single issue: SAG-AFTRA’s strong concerns regarding consent and compensation for the use of AI replicas.
Though the strike applies to specific titles on a case by case basis, the major video game companies included in the work stoppage were Activision Productions Inc., Blindlight LLC, Disney Character Voices Inc., Electronic Arts Productions Inc., Formosa Interactive LLC, Insomniac Games Inc., Llama Productions LLC, Take 2 Productions Inc., VoiceWorks Productions Inc., and WB Games Inc.
Variety has exclusively obtained the latest proposal from the companies, which they say was sent April 30. This proposal was deemed by the video game publishers to be their “best and last” offer following negotiations that lasted April 11-15. Heading into that round of bargaining, the two sides had tentative agreements on 24 out of 25 total proposal, including wage increases of 24% over the life of the contract The final issue at hand was protections against generative AI.
See the video game companies’ “best and last” offer to SAG-AFTRA below.
“We are hopeful the union will not choose to walk away when we are so close to a deal,” Audrey Cooling, spokesperson for the video game producers party to the Interactive Media Agreement, said in a statement to Variety. “Our proposal includes wage increases of over 24% for SAG-AFTRA-represented performers in video games, enhanced health and safety protections, industry-leading terms of use for AI digital replicas in-game and additional compensation for the use of an actor’s performance in other games. This is our last and best offer, and we hope the union will return to the table so we can reach a deal.”
Here’s SAG-AFTRA’s full statement, which was provided to Variety along with the actors union’s counter proposal.
“SAG-AFTRA condemns the video game companies’ attempt to sow confusion in the community by releasing misleading rhetoric about our ongoing negotiations. The statement suggesting that the union would “walk away” from negotiations on this contract is absurd and the opposite of the truth. It is the employers who have threatened – through backchannel representatives – to move work to foreign countries and recast performers, in an unsuccessful effort to intimidate our negotiating committee and membership to capitulate to their demands.
It is the employers who have characterized their last counter as “their last and best offer,” the union has taken no such step. To the contrary, SAG-AFTRA responded to that offer within 72 hours – on May 2 – with our own response to the open issues relating to artificial intelligence. We have to date received no response to our counter offer of May 2.
SAG-AFTRA is holding an informational meeting on Wednesday, May 7 for members who work under the Interactive Media Agreement. We expect to review the employers’ and union’s latest offers and hear their feedback in that confidential setting. Members can register at sagaftra.org/videogamestrike.
As negotiations progress, we urge all members to stay informed, engaged, and respectful of one another. Messages are being circulated that are neither official nor accurate. Please see our Video Game Strike page at sagaftra.org/videogamestrike for updates. Also, follow the conversation on your social media feeds (Instagram, Facebook, X, Blue Sky, Threads, Tik Tok) for official messages, and emails from the union.”
See SAG-AFTRA’s counter proposal below.
SAG-AFTRA and the gaming publishers began negotiations on the new agreement in October 2022. The union started seeking approval for this strike in September 2023 and members authorized the work stoppage with a 98.32% vote.
For several quarters, the video game publishers quelled concerns during about the strike’s impact on upcoming games by noting how far out most voiceover work is recorded and assuring shareholders their pipelines were long. But as the strike has been going on for nine months, the development cycle is more at stake.
The actors union previously went on strike against the video game makers in October 2016, as the union fought for a residual compensation structure. The strike ended nearly a year later, in September 2017.
See below for copies of the video game companies’ full proposal and a summary of the “protections offered” by the companies, all provided by the video game companies to Variety.
