40 votes

SAG-AFTRA calls strike against major video game companies after nearly two years of contract talks

Posted by phoenixrises
Tags: usa, games industry, work, employees, unions, strikes, actors.voice, interactive media agreement, screen actors guild, author.katie campione, author.dominic patten, source.deadline
https://deadline.com/2024/07/sag-aftra-strike-video-game-companies-1236020355/

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Authors
Katie Campione,Dominic Patten
Published
Jul 25 2024
Word count
667 words

7 comments

  1. [2]
    Eji1700
    Link
    Companies involved: And yeah it's the usual "stop using AI" stuff, which is going to be one hell of a pandora's box for video game voice acting.

    Companies involved:

    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., and WB Games Inc.

    And yeah it's the usual "stop using AI" stuff, which is going to be one hell of a pandora's box for video game voice acting.

    21 votes
    1. Minori
      Link Parent
      I have serious doubts on whether having access to union voice actors is worth killing AI usage. I'm sure the companies are making the same calculations right now.

      I have serious doubts on whether having access to union voice actors is worth killing AI usage. I'm sure the companies are making the same calculations right now.

      14 votes
  2. [3]
    stu2b50
    Link
    Unfortunately they don't have very much leverage. Non-union VAs are very prevalent - in fact, it's practically the majority at this point. Neither do English VAs really have the star power to turn...

    Unfortunately they don't have very much leverage. Non-union VAs are very prevalent - in fact, it's practically the majority at this point. Neither do English VAs really have the star power to turn heads when they are replaced.

    16 votes
    1. [2]
      MimicSquid
      Link Parent
      And at this point the ability to massage a voice to sound more or less like you want means that a good vocal performance is less and less needed. The fact that you can fix narration in post is...

      And at this point the ability to massage a voice to sound more or less like you want means that a good vocal performance is less and less needed. The fact that you can fix narration in post is kind of mind blowing, and terrible for anyone who wants to be a professional VA. This short video from There I Ruined It shows how you can take a solid performance and make it magical. Who knows what the next few years will bring, but it's not going to be great for VA as a profession.

      15 votes
      1. fefellama
        Link Parent
        Holy crap that video was impressive.

        Holy crap that video was impressive.

        6 votes
  3. DefinitelyNotAFae
    Link
    Per Erika Ishii's Instagram, SDCC promo will be permitted due to the timing but after that and other than that, the strike stands.

    Per Erika Ishii's Instagram, SDCC promo will be permitted due to the timing but after that and other than that, the strike stands.

    3 votes