SAG-AFTRA takes aim at prominent video game corporations and readies the trigger

The vote to see if video game voice actors join the strike is coming late September.

Image: SAG-AFTRA

It’s been a wild ride for the striking writers and actors in Hollywood over the past several months. But, it’s going to get a whole lot worse from some major video game studios that may be getting roped in as well.

SAG-AFTRA is taking no prisoners at this point. According to their website, it appears that the game companies have been taking advantage of their voice actors and performers. Shocking, we know.

“Here we go again,” said SAG-AFTRA President Fran Drescher, over on Deadline. “Now our Interactive Video Game Agreement is at a stalemate too. Once again we are facing employer greed and disrespect. Once again artificial intelligence is putting our members in jeopardy of reducing their opportunity to work. And once again, SAG-AFTRA is standing up to tyranny on behalf of its members.”

Basically, there was an agreement called the “Interactive Media Agreement” that hit its expiration date nearly a year ago and got extended, negotiations went sour, and thus, SAG-AFTRA is done holding the hands of companies like Activision and EA while they are causing problems.

So, informal meetings are being held in early September, which is to offer information and help members understand the situation more. A postcard will be sent out to qualifying SAG-AFTRA members to explain how to vote if they’re going to strike or not.

Voting ends on September 25th, 2023, and bargaining resumes the next day. Bargaining, in this case, means picket lines and going into full strike mode.

The official website notes that this contract is entirely separate from TV, theatrical, and streaming contracts. This means that if one of the strikes ends, it doesn’t necessarily mean that the strike is over for the other. But, it does help strengthen the cause either way.

The negotiations are going against some of the biggest first- and third-party publishers out there. They list 10 on their site.

• 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.

• VoiceWorks Productions Inc.

• WB Games Inc.

This is just getting heated up. We’re always going to root for the underdog here. So, we will continue to follow this story as it progresses. If you want to know more, you can visit the official SAG-AFTRA site for all the details.