By Daniel Broadway
LOS ANGELES (Reuters) – The Hollywood video game voice and motion capture actor signed a new contract with video game studios on Wednesday, focusing on artificial intelligence protection, Actors Guild's SAG-AFTRA concluded a nearly year-old strike in a press release.
“AI was at the heart of our proposal package,” a member of video game voice actor and negotiating committee member Sarah Hermale told Reuters after the new contract was passed.
Elmaleh, the voice actor for popular titles such as “Final Fantasy XV” and “Call of Duty: Black Ops III,” said he knew it was important to make sure there was a baseline for how to use AI ethically in the gaming industry.
New protections include consent and disclosure requirements for the use of AI digital replicas, as well as the ability for performers to suspend consent for the generation of new material on strike.
“This deal achieves significant advancements in AI protection, and progress is the name of the game,” Sag-AFTRA President Fran Drescher said in a statement from the guild.
The agreement applies to video game studio activity production, brandylight, Disney character voice, electronic arts production, Formosign Taraactive, Inson Games, Rama Production, two productions and WB games.
The new interactive media contract, which will be implemented soon, was approved by SAG-AFTRA members by voting between 95.04% and 4.96%, ratifying the transaction and ending the video game strike, which had been suspended.
The new contract also provides more performer safety measures. This was a particular concern for motion capture video game performers.
“There are people who donate their bodies and put their bodies in line for these characters as well as their bodies,” Elmare said.
Motion capture actors will be able to utilize Medics during high-risk work.
The transaction also offers compound interest increases in performer salaries at a rate of 15.17% at ratification in November 2025, November 2026 and November 2027.
The suspension of work for video game audio actors and motion capture performers, following the strike of dual writers and actors in 2023, led to another work halt in Hollywood, beginning to continue the failed contract negotiations focused on AI-related protections for workers.
The strike has led to a call for greater action across Hollywood to defend laws that allow people in the industry to protect against AI risks.
The No Fakes Act, the Congressional bipartisan bill, has gained support from the SAG-AFTRA Performers Union, Film Association, Recording Academy and Disney by making it illegal to make AI replicas of someone's portrait and voice without permission.
(Reporting by Daniel Broadway, Edited by Christopher Cushing)
