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LOS ANGELES – After nearly a year of striking, video game performers are on the brink of a breakthrough this week. A tentative agreement is set to be voted on, which promises significant pay increases, better control over their likenesses, and vital protections against the encroachment of artificial intelligence. Union members will have their chance to weigh in by Wednesday at 5 p.m. Pacific Time. Will they embrace this crucial deal?
The Impact of the Strike
This strike, which kicked off last July, was a direct response to nearly two years of stalled negotiations with major game studios, focusing especially on the hot-button issue of generative AI. The fear among performers was palpable: unchecked AI usage could overshadow their unique contributions and creativity. Sarah Elmaleh, a voice actor and chair of the Screen Actors Guild-American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (SAG-AFTRA) interactive branch negotiating committee, shared her relief at the prospect of an agreement, stating, “It feels like diamond amounts of pressure suddenly lifted.”
The proposed contract is being hailed as a watershed moment for the video game industry, which is projected to generate a staggering $187 billion worldwide in 2024. Among the key components is a pay increase of over 15% upon ratification, followed by an additional 3% hike each year for the next three years. This increase is a welcome relief for performers who have faced significant challenges during the strike.
AI Protections in the New Agreement
Concerns about AI have been mounting in the video game sector, where the essence of character portrayal relies heavily on human performances. Duncan Crabtree-Ireland, SAG-AFTRA’s national executive director, underscored the importance of these negotiations, asserting that the current landscape demands a rethinking of AI regulations to safeguard performers’ rights. The proposed contract establishes clear guidelines on using AI to create digital replicas, mandating written consent for any such endeavors.
What’s more, under the new agreement, video game companies will now be required to compensate performers for the time it takes to create a digital replica, treating it like any other performance. Performers will also receive detailed reports on how their digital likenesses are used, ensuring transparency and fair compensation.
Looking Ahead
While progress has been made, both Elmaleh and Crabtree-Ireland stress that the journey isn’t over yet. They highlight the need to expand protections for performers as technology continues to evolve. Elmaleh remarked, “Even though there’s a deal that’s been made now, and we’ve locked in a lot of really crucial protections and guardrails, the things that we haven’t been able to achieve yet, we’re going to be continuing to fight for them.”
As union members weigh the proposed contract, there’s hope for a more collaborative future between video game companies and performers that acknowledges the challenges posed by AI. Elmaleh, heavily involved in the negotiations, is eager to return to voice acting in a safer environment. She expressed, “Voice acting is core to who I am. It’s why I fought so hard for this.” What lies ahead for the industry and its performers? Only time will tell, but the stakes are high.