In a significant achievement for SAG-AFTRA, 80 video games have officially agreed to the union’s A.I. terms as outlined in their tiered-budget and interim agreements. This milestone highlights the fairness and feasibility of the union’s provisions, which include essential A.I. protections. The union has been on strike against major game developers since July, and these agreements will provide employment opportunities for members during the ongoing work stoppage.
This announcement follows news that Lightspeed L.A. has committed to producing current and future games, including LAST SENTINEL, under the SAG-AFTRA Interim Interactive Media Agreement.
Game developers who have signed the tiered-budget or interim agreements expressed their support for the union.
“Little Bat Games is proud to partner with SAG-AFTRA to ensure that top-quality voice talent receives appropriate compensation and protection,” the studio stated. “As a small studio focused on a psychology-themed game, we always advocate for human interests and appreciate SAG-AFTRA’s efforts to hold the industry accountable.”
Developer Francisco Gonzalez voiced his support, stating, “I stand with SAG-AFTRA actors during this strike and hope for strong A.I. protections moving forward.”
Jeremy Stieglitz, Development Director at Studio Wildcard, remarked, “Studio Wildcard collaborates with production company Noah Protocol for all our SAG-AFTRA member video game voice recordings, including ARK Survival Evolved. SAG-AFTRA has enabled us to engage top-tier talent through standardized union agreements, greatly benefiting the quality and consistency of voice work in our games.”
Additionally, some games outside the strike order have voluntarily signed the agreements, indicating a strong demand for SAG-AFTRA talent and a commitment to protecting that talent. These signatories include titles that have completed production and have signed the Interim Agreement to safeguard past and future performances against unregulated A.I. use.
Sarah Elmaleh, Chair of the SAG-AFTRA Interactive Media Agreement Negotiating Committee, stated, “This labor action aims to create a working environment with adequate A.I. protections. The large number of companies signing SAG-AFTRA agreements reflects the reasonableness of these protections. We are excited that our actors can continue their work under fair union contracts with companies that recognize the invaluable contributions of our performers.”
Duncan Crabtree-Ireland, SAG-AFTRA’s National Executive Director & Chief Negotiator, added, “We commend the video game companies that have signed our tiered-budget and interim agreements. By doing the right thing for their workers, they are also helping to preserve the human artistry, ingenuity, and creativity that drive interactive storytelling. These agreements illustrate that the companies in the collective bargaining group do not represent the broader aspirations of the video game industry. The willingness of many companies to adopt our A.I. terms shows that such terms are both reasonable and sustainable for business.”
The SAG-AFTRA video game strike commenced on July 26, after prolonged negotiations exceeding 18 months ended without a resolution. Employers rejected the union’s proposals for consent, compensation, and transparency regarding A.I. use, instead offering loophole-ridden language that undermined claimed protections.
