The 160,000-member strong SAG-AFTRA union has launched a strike against major video game developers, citing inadequate protections against generative AI in their contracts. The game makers have disputed these claims, leading to a current deadlock in negotiations.
As a result of the strike, union actors will halt their work on new game productions at several major studios until a new contract is agreed upon. Notably, Take-Two Interactive, the parent company of Rockstar Games, is among the affected companies. However, the highly anticipated “Grand Theft Auto 6” (GTA 6) is unlikely to face delays due to the strike. According to statements from both the union and game makers, games that began production over a year ago, such as GTA 6, are exempt from the strike.
An FAQ released by SAG-AFTRA clarifies that “some companies have games that cannot be struck due to certain contract terms,” emphasizing the strike targets specific games rather than entire companies.
SAG-AFTRA’s chief contracts officer, Ray Rodriguez, expressed disappointment over the GTA 6 exemption in a report on Aftermath. He acknowledged the rule about already in-development games, explaining it was “bargained into” a legacy agreement prior to the merger of the SAG and AFTRA unions. “It’s language that the merged union basically inherited, that I think is insane,” Rodriguez stated. “But it’s there.”
Despite the exemption, the union’s FAQ encourages members to stand in solidarity by choosing not to work on these games, even though they won’t face disciplinary action for doing so. Employers are contractually prohibited from discriminating against those who opt to support the strike in this way.
