#video game strike

[aroaceofdiamonds]

SAG-AFTRA IS STRIKING AGAIN

This time, for video games.

Some key information:

They are striking so all performers will have protection against AI

The struck companies are those signed to the Interactive Media Agreement

The listed companies by SAG-AFTRA include Activision Productions Inc, Blindlight LLC, Disney Character Voices Inc, Electronic Arts Productions Inc, Formosa Interactive LLC, Insomniac Games Inc, Llama Productions LLC, Take 2 Productions Inc, VoiceWorks Productions Inc and WB Games Inc. Though this may not be everyone.

Important things from the FAQ:

Some games from struck companies are non-struck (due to the Collective Bargaining Agreement still being in effect)

Localisations will be affected if covered under the Interactive Localization Agreement

Actors who are part of SAG-AFTRA cannot work for non-union or independent/low-budged productions during the strike unless they are signed to an Interim Interactive Media Agreement, Interim Interactive Localization Agreement or a Tiered-Budget Independent Interactive Media Agreement

Similarly to the previous strike, struck work cannot be promoted. This includes accepting awards for performances in struck games. This does NOT include hosting/performing a skit at an awards show and San Diego Comic Con (the latter due to the close proximity to the calling of the strike)

As implied by the point above, SAG-AFTRA performers cannot partake in panels related to struck games or companies, including finished games produced by struck companies

The best way to check if a game is struck is to use the search tool provided by SAG-AFTRA

Most importantly: You are NOT being asked to stop playing video games, as highlighted in the FAQ for creators and streamers. This does NOT cross the picket line. Though please do talk about the strike and show your solidarity

I expect to see the same amount of support from y'all that we saw in the last strike. Just because it's video games doesn't mean performers deserve any less support and protection.

Also please reblog with any additions (with sources - we are NOT here to spread misinformation)! And please correct me if anything listed here is incorrect.

SOURCES:

Video Game Strike FAQs | SAG-AFTRA (sagaftra.org)

SAG-AFTRA Members Who Work on Video Games Go on Strike | SAG-AFTRA (sagaftra.org)

[iww-gnv]

SAG-AFTRA is going on strike again. This time, the union is calling a work stoppage against the major video game companies after nearly two years of trying to renegotiate its Interactive Media Agreement. The decision to hit the picket lines comes 10 months after the union’s initial strike authorization vote. The strike goes into effect July 26 at 12:01 a.m. The 10 companies facing the strike are 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. “We’re not going to consent to a contract that allows companies to abuse A.I. to the detriment of our members. Enough is enough. When these companies get serious about offering an agreement our members can live — and work — with, we will be here, ready to negotiate,” SAG-AFTRA President Fran Drescher said in a statement.

[dovesndecay]

Hey fellow workers and union men🐈‍⬛, SAG-AFTRA has released a series of short, plain-language explanations regarding the fight for AI protections in video games, and what they're fighting for.

Please share this widely for game performers, current and future, and make sure to support the union!

[i-lavabean]

AI should never be used to steal the work of performers and creators to make sickly copies that devalue the very art form they are supposed to support

[renthony]

SAG-AFTRA Strikes League of Legends - September 23, 2024

SAG-AFTRA called a strike today against popular online game League of Legends, after a company that produces the game tried to subvert the video game strike. The union believes those actions, by the company Formosa Interactive LLC, to be a flagrant violation of labor law and has filed an unfair labor practice charge against the company with the National Labor Relations Board.

Read more

[fans4wga]

Mutual aid fund for struggling entertainment workers - donate if you can in wake of the video game strike!

Green Envelope Grocery Aid was launched by WGA captain and IATSE member, Joelle Garfinkel, during the 2023 dual WGA & SAG/AFTRA strike as a grassroots effort to provide mutual aid to all industry members in need. The efforts raised 264,000 and provided aid to 2,698 people.  As we continue to rebuild during this difficult time, Green Envelope is back to provide $250 grants from mutual aid gift donations. Fueled by mutual aid gift donations, we're so grateful to our community! 

*full disclosure this mod has received some grants from green envelope for grocery money. it is an incredibly helpful fund for those of us affected by the strikes - please donate and boost if you're able!

[nthspecialll]

I stand with the SAG-AFTRA strike!

The livelihood of the actors who made our favourite video-games is at stake, and so is the soul and personality of the future master-pieces which they are supposed to create.

Companies are stealing the voice actor's voices and faces, making AI versions of them, slowly removing the "need" for the real deal. This is not just something that is a problem for the actors, but also for the consumers as a robot in no way will be able to replicate the emotions and the feelings we see in characters.

Some companies will completely have a disreguard to the health of their actors in the motion captures, asking them to repeat hard fighting scenes or stunts over and over again with little pay and without a medic on scene, though it is their job to make sure there is. It is tough work and they deserve to be able to make a living with conditions that are safe and humane.

The studios are refusing to acknowledge these amazing preformers as preformers.

Now what does that mean for us as players, fans and content creators? Not a lot, we are not being asked to stop playing or anything similar. Here is what their websides says for content creators and streamers:

"The only situation in which streaming a struck video game would be in violation of our strike order is if you had rendered services as a performer in that struck game. Otherwise, we are not asking you to stop playing/streaming video games. In fact the opposite! Please continue doing what you love, and any support and solidarity would be extremely appreciated!"

And as for fans they simply ask that we show our support by talking about the strike and making posts similar to these which can be found on their webside:

Video game performers deserve fair wages, safe working conditions and A.I. protections. I call on the employers to #LevelUpTheContract. #SagAftraStrong #VideoGameStrike

I support video game performers in their fight for A.I. protections and a fair contract. It's time for the employers to #LevelUpTheContract! #VideoGameStrike #SagAftraStrong

Video game companies must offer A.I. protections to ALL video game performers. Join me and show your support for those who bring our favorite games to life. #LevelUpTheContract #VideoGameStrike #SagAftraStrong

More information can be found on SAG AFTRA's webside or their social media platforms

[elfroot-and-laurels-moved]

I'm looking into whether or not Dragon Age: The Veilguard is included in the games currently being struck as part of the Interactive Media (Video Game) strike. So far, there are no results for the production ID (1845910), the old code name (Joplin), or the new code name (Morrison) on their search page.

The production ID is, according to the SAG-AFTRA site for the strike, the most accurate way to check if a game is struck or not. It's possible that Veilguard falls outside the strike order, but it's also possible that the publicly listed production ID is inaccurate, or that the full code name is different than those we know.

It is also important to note that the union itself recommends that you consider the strike not in terms of companies necessarily (though EA is one of the companies listed), but in terms of individual games, as some games have interim agreements that mark them outside the scope of the strike (hence why they have this search tool in the first place).

As far as what counts as crossing the picket line as a fan, a content creator, a streamer, etc, most of it seems to be pretty standard. No paid promotion, no official collabs, etc. Streaming and playing struck games evidently is just fine, as is creating free or personal content. There is a lack of clarity at the moment over whether or not buying struck games is considered crossing the picket line. I have only seen one source mention this, and cannot find any definites on the website made for the strike. If anyone has any clearer info, it is welcomed. If any rules of what constitutes the picket line change during the course of the strike, those updates are also welcome.

Solidarity forever gamers✌️

[housederiva]

I got this little guy last night if anyone wants this QR code in their life

[cajapey]

Hey, here's a link to a petition for the SAG-AFTRA Video Game Strike.

Please sign and support VAs in video games.

[gaesnek]

[Source: https://www.sagaftra.org/]

[yusuke-of-valla]

So, Video Game Voice Actors Are On Strike: A Quick and Dirty Guide for Tumblr Users

Starting on July 26th, SAG-AFTRA members that are part of the Interactive Media Agreement (so mostly voice actors for video games) will be on strike. If you're a member of SAG-AFTRA with questions, I would speak to them.

Most of this information is coming from the SAG-AFTRA website, feel free to correct me if I'm wrong about anything or ask if you need anything.

If you are a random tumblr user who wants to know what's going on, here we go.

Why are video game voice actors striking?

AI, as one could expect. From the union's statement:

Although agreements have been reached on many issues important to SAG-AFTRA members, the employers refuse to plainly affirm, in clear and enforceable language, that they will protect all performers covered by this contract in their A.I. language.

Which Games Are Being Struck?

Games from: Activision Productions Inc., Blindlight LLC, Disney Character Voices Inc., Electronic Arts Productions Inc., Formosa Interactive LLC, Insomniac Games Inc., Llama Productions LLC, Take 2 Productions Inc., VoiceWorks Productions Inc., and WB Games Inc. are all being struck.

There is also a website to confirm which union projects are being struck but you'd need to be a member actively working on it to use it.

Ok so I'm not a voice actor, union or otherwise, I just like games. What should I do.

I can NOT stress this enough. Do NOT stop playing games. The union has not asked for this, and is instead asking for people to amplify our messages online using #LevelUpTheContract, #VideoGameStrike and #SagAftraStrong."

You can also sign this petition in support of voice actors getting a fair deal.

I'm not a union representative but if a game you're looking forward to is being covered by the struck companies, I'd blow up your social media and their mentions with how much you love the voice acting and the actors deserve a fair contract, but other than that you are not being asked to boycott any games or not cosplay or attend events.

A Streamer is playing a struck game! Is that crossing the picket line?

No, SAG-AFTRA explicitly says that is fine, and in fact encourages it.

An actor is promoting/promoted a struck work at SDCC, is that crossing the picket line?

No, the statement explicitly says those attending SDCC can still do work there because of the short notice, they are also fine.

Wait didn't SAG-AFTRA already do some weird bullshit regarding video game voice actors and AI?

Yes, at the Consumer Electronics Show in January, SAG-AFTRA signed a deal with Replica AI to allow their members to create digital replicas, it was a whole thing and many voice actors were pissed.

So they're hypocrites?

Ok it's more complicated than that. Their logic for the Replica AI thing is rather than allow companies to do whatever they want, it was better to have a system in place to be able to clearly say when a company was breaking the rules and ensure that talent got some compensation.

We can debate the efficacy of that strategy all day and voice actors at the time were not happy, BUT the companies being struck here refuse to even rise to THAT standard and will not agree to the most basic protections for actors, which is worse.

People and organizations contain multitudes and it is not a betrayal or hypocritical to disagree with SAG-AFTRA leadership on the Replica AI situation and side with them, and more importantly their members in this case.

Why aren't game devs striking/ It's not devs on strike so I don't care

The Screen Actors Guild covers actors, so it would not be in everyone's best interest if they were to try and negotiate on behalf of people in different fields with different needs.

However, one way to build support for the various movements to unionize at places like Activision-Blizzard and Bethesda is to support labor movements everywhere and show solidarity whenever it comes up.

Why are the actors striking when the developers should be paid more.

They should be paid more! And they should not be laid off as much. One way to help with that is to be able to point to voice actors and say, hey they got a raise, I want one too.

[atthebell]

SAG-AFTRA performers have called a video game strike as of today!

The major issue is AI as labor exploitation, as the struck companies refuse to provide appropriate protections for AI usage of union members' performances.

SAG-AFTRA performers actually voted to authorize a strike back in September, but only recently did negotiations break down enough for the chief negotiator to call for a strike.

Also directly from the FAQ: content creators are NOT being asked to stop playing certain games, including struck games, and they can help support striking performers by talking about the strike and about how important they find video game performers to be. Same goes for any video game fans!

[animentality]

[softwaring]

literally the day after SAG members voted for another game industry strike regarding ai usage, Epic games lays off 16% of its work force (870 people), mostly artist.

fuck anyone who supports ai