- Video game performers reach agreements with 80 games after a month-long strike.
- Strike focuses on AI protections and fair compensation for voice and motion capture performers.
- Agreements allow performers to work on specific projects while strikes continue with major companies like Disney and Warner Bros.
- New agreements include wage improvements, AI usage safeguards, and enhanced safety protocols.
- Tiered budget agreements make working with union talent easier for smaller studios.
- Lightspeed L.A., behind Last Sentinel, is one of the major studios agreeing to the interim agreement.
Main AI News:
Video game performers have made notable strides in their ongoing strike, securing agreements with 80 video games that have accepted demands related to artificial intelligence usage. These agreements follow a month-long strike addressing concerns over AI’s potential to replicate voice actors and motion capture performers without fair compensation or consent.
The strike began in July after prolonged negotiations with significant video game companies failed to address the performers’ key concerns, particularly regarding AI. The new interim and tiered budget agreements allow performers to work on specific projects, even as the strike continues against significant publishers such as Disney, Warner Bros., and Electronic Arts.
The interim agreement offers improved wages, protections against AI exploitation, and enhanced safety measures for physical performances and vocal strain. Additionally, the tiered budget agreements aim to facilitate collaborations between union talent and smaller developers or independent studios, ensuring that the same AI safeguards apply to performers.
The agreements have been hailed as a step toward preserving the creativity and ingenuity fueling the gaming industry. These deals also demonstrate that many companies are willing to meet the union’s AI terms, proving them both reasonable and viable, even as larger publishers hold out.
Lightspeed L.A., the studio behind the popular game Last Sentinel, has agreed to produce future titles under the interim agreement. This enables it to continue working with union performers while the broader strike persists.
Conclusion:
These agreements indicate a shift in the video game industry, with more companies willing to adopt protective AI measures to safeguard performers’ rights. Smaller studios and independent developers benefit from the tiered budget system, making it feasible to collaborate with union talent while ensuring fair treatment. This progress could pressure significant publishers to adopt similar agreements, potentially changing the landscape for labor relations and the use of AI in the gaming market. As more companies recognize the importance of protecting creative talent, this move could also enhance interactive entertainment’s overall quality and sustainability.
