SAG-AFTRA members have voted over 98% in favor of authorizing video game strike

The humble ant will take a starring role in 2024 in Empire of the Ants, a new real-time strategy adventure based on the 32-year-old sci-fi novel series of the same name. And thanks to Epic Games’ Unreal Engine 5, Empire of the Ants will look really, really good. I don’t think I’ve ever seen a video game ant look this good, let alone hundreds of them on screen at once.

After the WGA writers' strike finally came to an end after over 100 days, you might have been anticipating the SAG-AFTRA actors' strike following suit as the union and studios headed back to the negotiating table. 

A new report suggests that the video game industry’s struggles in 2023 run deeper than firing staff and closing studios.

The Screen Actors Guild-American Federation of Television and Radio Artists () has issued a statement now that the organization is resuming negotiations with the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers (AMPTP).

Billionaire Elon Musk, known for his online presence on X (formerly Twitter), is asking the general public, anyone with a smartphone, to make waves on the microblogging platform and thereby change the world for the better. Musk wants everyone to know that X is no longer just about text, that it's evolving into an all-in-one solution for users, covering everything from social media to banking.

Sign up for the GI Daily here to get the biggest news straight to your inbox

The actors union group SAG-AFTRA has voted overwhelmingly in favour of a potential strike against the games industry. Members were nearly unanimous, with 98.32 per cent of the vote being in favour of a strike — if a strike is necessary.

SAG-AFTRA union members have voted yes to authorize a video game strike. It did so with a 98.72% vote in favor of authorizing a strike on the Interactive Media Agreement that covers its members' work in the games industry. In total, 34,687 members cast ballots, which represents 27.47% of eligible voters, SAG-AFTRA writes in a press release. 

SAG-AFTRA, the union representing actors, broadcast journalists, hosts, voice actors, and other media professionals in the US, has voted overwhelmingly to authorize a strike against videogame companies including Activision, Electronic Arts, Epic Games, and Take-Two Interactive. The vote does not mean that a strike will be called, but the union hopes it will provide «added leverage» in its negotiations for a new Interactive Media Agreement.

The vote to authorize a potential strike for SAG-AFTRA video game performers passed overwhelmingly.

It’s been a very unique time in Hollywood lately, as the last several months have been highlighted not only by certain movies doing incredibly at the box office but also by the dual strikes that have been filling the streets of Los Angeles, protesting the work conditions of those within the entertainment industry. It started back in May when the Writers Guild went on strike and demanded both better pay and knowledge that AI wouldn’t be used to replace them, amongst other things. Then, SAG-AFTRA, the Screen Actors Guild, also joined the fight because the vast amount of their workers weren’t being paid fairly either.

By Ash Parrish, a reporter who has covered the business, culture, and communities of video games for seven years. Previously, she worked at Kotaku.