Strikes can be messy but necessary, and right now, there’s a strike going on with SAG-AFTRA and the gaming industry. You might have already recalled the news when it broke. Overall, the focus here is on voice actors and the fear of studios using AI rather than the actors themselves for their projects. It’s still going on while there are interim agreements to allow performances to continue. Unfortunately, we’ll be waiting a while longer before a deal is struck for Riot Games. So, don’t expect any new English VOs for the time being.
Riot Games took to their official website and unveiled that they have put a hold on newly recorded lines for their English VO while the strike continues. It’s noted that League of Legends will use existing voiceovers instead of new lines with different actors. Furthermore, they are holding off on new lines for the Wild Rift game even though it’s not a struck title. This means if actors decline to work on Wild Rift to stay in solidarity with the labor strike again, then that game will continue to ship with base VO lines.
Currently, this is only for the English-language VO. Riot Games said that new lines by the original actors will be recorded after the strike ends. This production will happen as soon as the studio and schedule allow these lines to be recorded.
Meanwhile, PC Gamer pointed out that this is not sitting well with some voice actors. Anairis Quinones, who has quite a few credits in the games industry, is critical of Riot’s lack of signing the contract. As Anairis puts it on X, the contract will promise voice actors they won’t find AI replacing an actor’s voice and likeness for their future productions. So, for now we’ll have to wait and see what comes with these ongoing strike.
