SAG-AFTRA voice actors approve video game strike authorization vote

Insomniac Games's Spider-Man 2 is almost here (releasing on 20th October), and we can't wait to carry on with the epic storyline of Peter, Miles and company.

Even my crusty old heart has melted at seeing how much everyone loves Baldur's Gate 3's companion characters⁠—especially the actors who portrayed them. As reported by Polygon, after some reprised their roles for a High Rollers tabletop one-shot, many in the cast have been sharing playlists tailored to their characters.

Over the years, Cissy Jones, a voice actor with many credits, including video games Starfield and Baldur's Gate III, has performed countless fictional mishaps. Death by gunshot, she said, is easy. Whereas death by fire can be long and tedious. One time, she played an astronaut in space who woke up breathing tensely. Ten minutes into the scene, Jones says she came close to passing out.

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).

Yandere Simulator, the infamous stealth game that has been in development for almost ten years, has lost major voice actors and developers as its creator is accused of grooming an underage fan. Alex Mahan, better known online as Yandere Dev, has come under fire as screenshots and audio recordings of messages with the fan were made public, showing him talking to a girl he knew was 16 years old.

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The voice actors behind Baldur's Gate 3's origin characters—Astarion, Gale, Karlach, Shadowheart, Wyll, and Lae'zel—gathered for a two-episode D&D game that was livestreamed this past weekend. An hour into the first 160-minute episode, I can confidently recommend it to fans of our favorite new RPG. I don't know if I'll make get to the end of the whole session anytime soon, but it's a charming bit of fan service. Replays are available on YouTube, Twitch, and as podcasts.

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.