Video Game Voice Actors May Be Going On Strike

The voice actors who lend their talents to video games may be going on strike, if their union decides it's the best way to obtain higher compensation and better protection in their contracts with publishers.

SAG-AFTRA, the union that represents the voice actors, is considering whether or not this is the route actors should take.

The union met with video game publishers back in February and then again in June to work out a new contract for the voice actors. The actors have to recite hours of dialogue, not to mention sometimes having to repeat loud screams and other sound effects. They were unable to agree on the contract, so as a result, SAG-AFTRA will vote next month whether or not to go on strike. If 75 percent of the members think this is the best course of action, all the video game voice actors in the union will go on strike.

The actors are looking for "back end bonuses" that would kick in after 2 million units of a video game are sold or downloaded, with a cap at 8 million units. The union says it will protect smaller developers – while still requiring that the actors get a piece of the pie – if their games reach wide success.

SAG-AFTRA is also seeking fair compensation for the voice actors who put stress on their vocal chords — setting a clear definition for voice actors and motion-capture actors to prevent companies from hiring unqualified and non-union actors from their staff.

So far, voice actors like Wil Wheaton (Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas), Dave Fennoy (Lee in The Walking Dead), Tara Strong (Harley Quinn in the Batman: Arkham series), and Ashly Burch (Chloe Price in Life is Strange) have voiced their support.

Via: SAG-AFTRA