First Studio Agrees To SAG-AFTRA Terms After Strikes Began In July

SAG-AFTRA made some big moves lately. I’m sure you all are familiar with the Hollywood strike that happened not too long ago. Now, SAG-AFTRA has set its eyes on the video game industry. The latest strikes hit various game studios back in July of this year. It was all over the fears of game developers using AI that would ultimately cost the jobs and livelihood of the various talented actors.

AI has become such a massive deal in any industry. While it can greatly help various areas, it creates the fear that AI could replace our jobs. That prompted some fears within the entertainment industry, and with some game development studios using AI tools, SAG-AFTRA decided it was best to strike. Today, thanks to a report from Gamesindustry.biz, we learned that the first studio has stepped up and agreed to the terms presented by the strike.

The first studio to agree to the latest terms is Lightspeed LA. Overall, the strike prevented developers from using AI to replicate the voice and visual appearances of SAG-AFTRA’s talent. As a result, unionized actors were unable to take on any jobs within the industry, hindering some studios’ ability to progress with their work. But now that Lightspeed LA has agreed to the terms, they can continue hiring talent to voice their characters in the upcoming game, Last Sentinel.

A statement from the studio was supplied on the official SAG-AFTRA website which you can read below.

Lightspeed L.A. has always recognized and valued the irreplaceable role of talent, which injects creativity, innovation, and the human touch into video games. Supporting our cast is the right thing to do and there was never any hesitation to consider the performer protections that anchor this agreement. We want to thank Duncan Crabtree-Ireland and everyone at SAG-AFTRA for their openness and collaboration to help deliver this agreement. On behalf of the Lightspeed L.A. team, we cannot wait to share the amazing world and narrative gameplay experience we are crafting with the help of our outstanding cast. – Steve Martin, General Manager of Lightspeed L.A

That said, it’s still a battle to ensure AI isn’t used without proper agreements, compensations, and transparency with other studios. We’ll have to wait and see if more studios agree with the latest demands from the union and if productions can once again get back on track.