After 11 months, the SAG-AFTRA strike for video game performers finally came to an end with an agreement to protect actors from the misuse of artificial intelligence in video games.
After almost a year of striking for video game actor rights regarding the AI advancements, SAG-AFTRA has finally come to an agreement with video game producers.
SAG-AFTRA Reaches Agreement With Game Producers For AI Protections
This must be one of the most significant milestones in the current development of AI in multimedia areas. The SAG-AFTRA strike for video game actors originally started back in July 2024. A year ago, the union was unable to come to an agreement with big game producers such as Electronic Arts or Activision.
But now, after a long fight, they finally managed to reach common ground, setting the base for AI usage in video games in the future.
The SAG-AFTRA Video Game Agreement
The agreement includes some significant salary changes for actors, such as a 15.17% pay increase for actors (+3% more in November 2025, 2026 and 2027) as well as an increase of retirement contributions, going up by 17.5% by 2026.
Finally, an agreement in AI usage has also been found, forcing game companies to get consent to use an actor's voice or performance with AI.
Additionally, game companies must clearly inform performers (like voice actors or motion capture artists) when their voice, image, or performance is being digitally replicated using AI. So, if a studio wants to use an AI version of an actor's voice (like copying it to say new lines), or recreating their face or body in a scene using AI, they must tell the actor that it's happening.
This rule is meant to protect actors from being secretly copied or replaced by AI tech without their knowledge or permission.
This agreement was made with some of the biggest game studios on the market. Here is the full list, in case you're interested:
- Activision Productions Inc. (e.g. Call of Duty)
- Blindlight LLC (e.g. voice production for Starfield)
- Disney Character Voices Inc.
- Electronic Arts Productions Inc. (e.g. EA Sports FC)
- Formosa Interactive LLC (audio production for Helldivers 2, Dead Space, Horizon and more)
- Insomniac Games Inc. (e.g. Marvel's Spider-Man)
- Llama Productions LLC
- Take 2 Productions Inc. (e.g. Borderlands 4, NBA 2K26)
- WB Games Inc. (e.g. Hogwarts Legacy)