SAG-AFTRA Signs First AI Protection Deal For Video Game Voice Actors

There’s some good news coming out of the SAG-AFTRA voice actors strike. No, they haven’t made a deal with all the studios and the strike isn’t over, but at least one company has agreed to the guild’s terms regarding AI protections for the actors and signed the Interim Interactive Media Agreement, and that means the VAs can begin working with that studio again.

According to GamesIndustry.biz, the studio in question is Tencent-owned Lightspeed LA whose General Manager, Steve Martin (No. Not that one.) issued a statement saying that the company “has always recognized and valued the irreplaceable role of talent, which injects creativity, innovation, and the human touch into video games” and that as the correct thing to do is to support their cast. “There was never any hesitation to consider the performer protections” in the agreement.

The signed deal is good news for Lightspeed LA as they aren’t stuck waiting for the strike to end in order to get work done. More importantly, it means that there’s some work that the VAs can do in order to pay bills. Perhaps it will encourage other companies to get on board.

Then again, the previous actor and writer's strikes prove how stubborn companies can be, even when they’re losing money, so we’ll just have to wait and see.