Video game artists reach agreement with 80 companies on AI terms

LOS ANGELES – After more than a month of strike action, video game artists have reached agreements with 80 games that have signed interim or phased budget deals with the artists’ union and agreed to the artificial intelligence provisions they have been requesting.

Members of the Screen Actors Guild and the American Federation of Television and Radio Artists went on strike in July after negotiations with the video game industry giants, which began more than a year and a half ago, stalled over AI protections. Union leaders say the likenesses of video game voice actors and motion capture artists could be replicated by AI and used without their consent and without fair compensation.

On Thursday, SAG-AFTRA announced the agreements for the 80 individual video games. The artists affected by the work stoppage can now work on those projects.

The strike against other major video game publishers, including Disney, Warner Bros. and Electronic Arts Productions Inc., will continue.

The tentative agreement guarantees improved pay, protections against “exploitative uses” of artificial intelligence, and safety precautions that take into account the strain of physical performances as well as vocal stress. The tiered budget deal aims to make working with unionized talent more feasible for developers on indie games or smaller-budget projects, while still offering artists the protections provided for in the tentative agreement.

Duncan Crabtree-Ireland, SAG-AFTRA’s national executive director and chief negotiator, said in a statement that companies signing the agreements are “helping to preserve the human artistry, ingenuity and creativity that fuels interactive storytelling.”

“These agreements indicate that the gaming companies engaging in collective bargaining do not represent the will of the broader gaming industry,” Crabtree-Ireland continued. “The many companies willing to agree to our AI terms demonstrate that these terms are not only reasonable, but also feasible and sustainable for businesses.”

The union announced Wednesday that game development studio Lightspeed LA has agreed to produce current and future games, including the popular title “Last Sentinel,” under the union’s tentative agreement, meaning it can also work with union talent while the strike persists.