LogInGTA 6 might be one of the games affected by the protest.
In a move many viewed as a question of "when" and not "if", due to AAA game publishers' continuous insistence on shoving the AI agenda down the throats of their clients and employees, the Screen Actors Guild-American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (SAG-AFTRA) has called a strike on behalf of actors working on video games, effective July 26, 12:01 AM.
"We're not going to consent to a contract that allows companies to abuse AI to the detriment of our members. Enough is enough," comments Fran Drescher, SAG-AFTRA President. "When these companies get serious about offering an agreement our members can live – and work – with, we will be here, ready to negotiate."
The goal of the protest is to make big game development and publishing studios looking to employ SAG-AFTRA talent sign an agreement that would protect guild members from having their likenesses and voices used to train artificial intelligence models. The list of video game companies set to be affected by the strike includes Activision, Electronic Arts, Insomniac, Take-Two, and WB Games, among others.
"The video game industry generates billions of dollars in profit annually. The driving force behind that success is the creative people who design and create those games. That includes the SAG-AFTRA members who bring memorable and beloved game characters to life, and they deserve and demand the same fundamental protections as performers in film, television, streaming, and music: fair compensation and the right of informed consent for the A.I. use of their faces, voices, and bodies," adds SAG-AFTRA National Executive Director and Chief Negotiator, Duncan Crabtree-Ireland.
With the strike coming into effect in mere hours, the online community is now actively speculating on how it will affect the development of the anticipated titles. As Take-Two, the publisher of the Grand Theft Auto series, is featured on SAG-AFTRA's aforementioned list, many are now wondering whether the upcoming GTA 6, currently the most anticipated video game in the world, might be delayed due to the protest.
Shortly after the impending strike was announced, Inverse reported that the union allegedly confirmed GTA 6 would indeed be affected, casting doubt on Take-Two CEO Strauss Zelnick's earlier comments that the continuation of Rockstar's world-famous franchise is "completely protected" from any SAG-AFTRA strike for voice/performance actors.
Shortly after Inverse's article started gaining traction, the line about the union's supposed confirmation was mysteriously removed from it, making the situation even more confusing. Was it wild speculation based on nothing but the editor's own assumptions, an honest mistake blown out of proportion, or did a Take-Two representative visit Inverse's headquarters to ask them not to damage GTA 6's marketing campaign? I guess we'll learn when the new Grand Theft Auto game arrives.
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