U.S. Actors' Union Suspends Video Game Strike After AI Deal

The Screen Actors Guild-American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (SAG-AFTRA) suspended its 11 video game strike on June 13 after reaching an interim agreement with major gaming companies that includes artificial intelligence protections for performers.. 

SAG-AFTRA has 2,600 members who are voice actors, stunt performers, performance capture actors, and motion capture actors. The professionals are reportedly now under protection and have AI (artificial intelligence) provisions, according to the union. Some of the video game studios that were affected by the strike and have reportedly signed an interim agreement include Electronic Arts, Formosa Interactive, Insomniac Games, WB Games, Take-Two Interactive, and Activision Blizzard.

This was the second time that the video game industry saw a large-scale strike in recent years. The previous Interactive Media Agreement, which expired in 2022, did not have protections for artificial intelligence, and it did not account for voice actors.

“Patience and persistence have resulted in a deal that puts in place the necessary AI guardrails that defend performers’ livelihoods in the A.I. age, alongside other important gains, ” SAG-AFTRA National Executive Director Duncan Crabtree-Ireland stated in a press conference. 

The strike affected various popular games like League of Legends, Destiny 2, Genshin Impact, and Honkai: Star Rail. Starting in July 2024, HoYoverse’s Genshin Impact and Honkai: Star Rail faced disruptions from the SAG-AFTRA strike. As a result, story updates like Genshin Impact’s Version 5.1 (October 9, 2024) and Honkai: Star Rail’s Version 2.7 (December 4, 2024) launched with unvoiced dialogue for some characters.

To maintain voiced content, HoYoverse replaced some union voice actors with non-union talent from the U.S. and overseas starting in December 2024, notably recasting Tingyun in Honkai: Star Rail with Anya Floris in Version 2.7. By May 2025, further recastings occurred, impacting characters like Genshin Impact’s Gaming, allowing players to receive voiced updates despite the ongoing strike.

Fair compensation and working conditions were among the reasons why the strike happened. However, a major concern voice actors had was the use of generative AI in the video game industry. The union wanted enforceable protections that prevent video game companies from using the actors’ likeness or performances without consent.

SAG-AFTRA raised concerns about companies’ proposals on the use of generative AI in the gaming industry. The union was also cautious about how AI replicas would be used in the industry moving forward. The union has opposed proposals that would allow companies to use past performance data for games without the stunt performers, motion capture artists, or voice actors knowing about it.

The interim agreement has been struck with over 180 studios, which includes AI protections, workplace transparency, and fair wages. The union clarified that the agreement is not final and is pending ratification from SAG-AFTRA members.