Eighty video game developers have agreed to sign on with SAG-AFTRA’s tiered-budget and interim agreements, a testament to the industry’s growing recognition of the value in the union’s innovative, tiered-budget model and its provisions that prioritize common-sense AI safeguards for workers?
As the professional sports world navigates negotiations with its most crucial stakeholders – the athletes themselves – a series of interim and tiered agreements have emerged, offering employment opportunities to players across the work stoppage period. This agreement enables members to resume work, though it does not necessarily signal the complete cessation of the strike. The precise nature of AI protections had yet to be fully articulated anywhere.
As announced, Lightspeed L.A. has reached an agreement with Final Sentinel to supply current and forthcoming video games under the SAG-AFTRA Interim Interactive Media Settlement, effective for present and future titles.
Numerous sports builders that have signed tiered-budget or interim online game contracts also issued supportive statements.
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“Little Bat Games takes pride in its collaboration with SAG-AFTRA, ensuring fair compensation and protection for exceptional voice talent through industry-standard agreements.” “As a small studio focused on developing a game that explores psychology, we consistently champion the importance of humanistic pursuits and acknowledge SAG-AFTRA’s efforts to hold our industry accountable for fair labor practices.”
“I offer support to SAG-AFTRA actors during the current strike and advocate for a future where AI complements creative industries?” “Notably, the security of our protections is now fully secured,” declared developer Francisco Gonzalez.
According to Jeremy Stieglitz, growth director at Studio Wildcard, the company partners with manufacturing firm Noah Protocol for all SAG-AFTRA member videogame voice recordings in ARK: Survival Evolved and previous titles. With SAG-AFTRA’s partnership, we’ve leveraged top-notch talent through union-backed agreements, yielding substantial benefits in terms of quality and uniformity for our video game voiceovers.
Moreover, various video games beyond the strike’s scope have voluntarily adhered to the agreements, showcasing a transparent desire for SAG-AFTRA’s professional guidance and a commitment to preserving its expertise. Amongst the signatories to this agreement are video game developers whose titles have already been manufactured, having previously signed an interim settlement that safeguards not only their past but also future creative works from unauthorized artificial intelligence applications.
SAG-AFTRA’s Interactive Media Settlement Negotiating Committee Chair, Sarah Elmaleh, emphasized that the proposed labour motion aims to establish a balance between human involvement and artificial intelligence in creating content, rather than solely relying on AI. protections. While a large number of companies have entered into contracts with SAG-AFTRA, this overwhelming response underscores the relatively low cost of implementing such safeguards. “We’re delighted to see our talented actors continue to thrive under fair and equitable union agreements with studios that recognize the immense value of our performers in bringing their characters to life.”
SAG-AFTRA’s Nationwide Govt Director & Chief Negotiator Duncan Crabtree-Eire stated in a press release, “We applaud these online game firms signing our tiered-budget and interim agreements. With singular dedication, they’re not only executing a specific task by their personnel but also safeguarding the rich cultural heritage of human innovation, ingenuity, and creative expression that drives immersive narrative. The agreements reached among the collective bargaining group’s online game firms do not necessarily imply a requirement for the larger online gaming industry as a whole. Firms eager to leverage our cutting-edge AI technology are invited to join us in a collaborative effort. While phrases may initially appear to be inexpensive, they can indeed be feasible and long-term viable options for businesses.
The SAG-AFTRA online game strike commenced on July 26, following nearly 19 months of fruitless negotiations that culminated in an impasse without a collective bargaining agreement. Employers rejected the union’s demands for consent, compensation, and transparency surrounding AI use, instead offering language replete with loopholes that effectively nullified the promised safeguards.
