Video game workers affiliated with the SAG-AFTRA union have been on strike since July 26 over the use of artificial intelligence in the industry. Actors and major video game companies have failed to reach an agreement on protections regarding the use of AI in game development. In the wake of the strike, several video games currently in development face possible delays. Rockstar Games' Grand Theft Auto 6 was previously thought to be one of the games that may be affected by the video game actors' strike. However, a new report confirms that the highly anticipated game will not be affected by SAG-AFTRA's action.
GTA 6 “exempt” from strike
According to Kotaku, GTA 6 is one of the titles in development that are not part of the strike, and actors will be able to continue working on the project. The report was confirmed by a spokesperson for a video game publisher involved in negotiations with SAG-AFTRA workers. Take-Two, parent company of Rockstar Games, is among the publishers facing a strike.
“We can confirm that GTA VI is exempt,” a spokesperson told Kotaku, who also confirmed that games that were already in development before September 2023 would not be subject to the SAG-AFTRA strike.
GTA 6 is expected to be released in 2025, although developer Rockstar Games has yet to confirm a release date.
Using AI in Video Game Development
SAG-AFTRA members who work as actors in video games went on strike on July 26 against all video game companies that have signed the Interactive Media Contract. The labor dispute began after more than a year and a half of negotiations between the two parties failed to reach an agreement. According to SAG-AFTRA, the video game companies have refused to “unequivocally affirm in clear and enforceable language that the AI language will protect all performers covered by this contract.”
Video game companies involved in the negotiations and currently facing strike action include Activision Productions, Blindlight, Disney Character Voices, Electronic Arts Productions, Formosa Interactive, Insomniac Games, Llama Productions, Take 2 Productions, VoiceWorks Productions and WB Games.
The video game industry is seeing an increase in the use of AI tools in video game development, with reports last week claiming that the use of generative AI has led to the loss of several jobs in the industry, and Activision, makers of Call of Duty, have also reportedly made AI-generated in-game cosmetics available for purchase in their online store.
