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While the SAG-AFTRA strikes continue against the film and TV industries, the union is hoping to avoid adding the video game industry to that list.
The actors union has been in ongoing talks with some of the largest video game companies in the space, and it was confirmed those talks are set to continue with another date set for negotiations, according to Variety. Both sides previously met in September to try and reach a new agreement, though these talks failed to produce any results. However, the talks ended more amicably than on the TV and film side as it was made clear at the time new dates would be set to continue talks.
By comparison, SAG-AFTRA's strike against the film and TV industry has entered its third month as the two sides have yet to reach a new deal. The last set of talks broke down after failing to reach a new deal, despite the WGA reaching a new agreement a short time before.
A spokesperson for the video game companies said was able to reach “a tentative agreement” for about “half of the issues on the table.”
As with the film and TV strikes, actors are asking for protections against AI replacements and a pay raise of around 11% going forward. SAG-AFTRA Fran Drescher didn't mince words about the union's goal in the video game space, saying it was time for a deal that would ensure actors could continue making a career in video games since these companies are already “are making billions of dollars and paying their CEOs lavishly.”
The last agreement was set to expire in November 2022, but a one-year extension was approved to give contract negotiations more time before a strike was deemed necessary. Compared to the film and TV strikes, it appears there is more hope in both sides reaching a new agreement given the progress already made in recent talks
SAG-AFTRA last went on strike against the video game industry in 2016, lasting roughly a year before the current agreement was reached.
