The Screen Actors Guild-American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (SAG-AFTRA) national board is gearing up for some pivotal discussions with the video game industry. They’ve put forth a strike authorization vote to their members, setting the stage for negotiations with big names like Activision Productions Inc., Blindlight LLC, and Disney Character Voices Inc. This move could have a ripple effect on voice acting and motion capture roles across major gaming publishers.

SAG-AFTRA is advocating for an 11% wage boost retroactively for their video game talents, coupled with a 4% hike in the subsequent two years of the contract to keep pace with inflation. They’re also pushing for safeguards in the realm of artificial intelligence.

While the union’s foundational contract with top-tier gaming companies, known as the Interactive Media Agreement, was prolonged beyond its original end date last year, it was a strategic move. The union wanted to ensure they had ample time to hash out essential terms with these companies.

But here’s the twist: a green light on the strike authorization vote doesn’t automatically lead to a strike. It simply empowers the National Board to call one, should the gaming giants not play ball with SAG-AFTRA. The fact that they’re holding a vote indicates that things are not going especially well, and that the union wants the authorization to strike in their back pocket in case things get ugly.

Voice actors are the unsung heroes behind the immersive characters we adore in video games. They spin tales and breathe life into the gaming universe, making our adventures all the more memorable. Fun fact: the first game to showcase human voices was Disney’s arcade sensation, “Dragon’s Lair.”

Among the stars of the video game voice acting world are Mark Hamill, Troy Baker, Claudia Christian, and John DiMaggio.

While top-tier voice actors might rake in a whopping $1,000 per hour, seasoned pros typically pocket between $100-$200 hourly.

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