SAG-AFTRA (the Screen Actors Guild-American Federation of Television and Radio Artists) has recently declared that video game actors and actresses represented by the union will go on strike.
This strike is being carried out as a form of protest against the use of AI by game studios. Naturally, this protest might affect the release of upcoming games.
SAG-AFTRA announced this through a Tweet on their Twitter account
Some of the companies that could potentially be affected include Activision, Take-Two, Insomniac, and WB Games. Both Duncan Crabtree-Ireland, the Executive Director and Chief Negotiator of SAG-AFTRA, and Fran Drescher, the President of the association, have expressed their disappointment.
“We cannot agree to a contract that allows the company to exploit AI and harm our members. Enough is enough. When the company is ready to propose an agreement that ensures our members can live and work decently, we will be there and prepared to negotiate,” said Fran Drescher.
A tweet from journalist Stephen Totilo indicates that although SAG-AFTRA acknowledges that the companies affected by the strike are willing to negotiate on the raised issues, the strike is happening because 1 out of 25 demands has not been met.
The demand focuses on safeguarding actors and actresses from the potential risk of being replaced by AI. This is certainly a crucial demand for the association.
News has surfaced online about a studio affected by this strike. One of the studios impacted is Take-Two, which is planning to release GTA VI in 2025. Many people are quick to say that the game’s release will be delayed.
Officially, Take-Two has not yet stated that they will delay GTA VI. It should also be noted that these actors and actresses might have completed their parts in the game long before this strike began.
Creating a game is quite different because it takes a very long time. Therefore, if a game is set to release next year, it feels like all aspects related to acting have long been completed.
However, it is possible that games which have not yet been announced and are possibly still in the early stages of development could be affected by this strike. The development of some games might even be delayed.
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