Video game company Lightspeed LA has signed an interim interactive media agreement between SAG and AFTRA that will allow production to continue with union artists even as the strike against other major video game publishers enters its sixth week.
The deal applies to current and future Lightspeed LA games. The company is home to the game “Last Sentinel,” the studio’s first title to move forward under the new agreement. SAG-AFTRA strikes against Microsoft’s Activision Blizzard, Electronic Arts, Warner Bros. Games and other major publishers. The union is calling for stricter restrictions on the use of AI to create digital replicas of artists and their voice or likeness, as well as higher minimum standards to tackle the impact of inflation in recent years.
“I am excited to partner with Lightspeed LA. Their upcoming game may be set in a world of runaway technology, but by agreeing fair terms, they’re trying to ensure that the real future won’t be a dystopian future for artists. ” said SAG-AFTRA National Executive Director and Chief Negotiator Duncan Crabtree-Ireland. “My thanks to Steve, the entire crew at Lightspeed LA and the SAG-AFTRA members who worked on this project, all of whom made this collaboration possible.”
SAG-AFTRA declared the video game strike on July 26. The union staged a four-month film and TV strike last year over similar issues such as AI protections and compensation increases. In 2016 and 2017, SAG-AFTRA targeted 11 video game publishers for 13 months over voice work.
“Lightspeed LA has always recognized and valued the irreplaceable role of talent who injects creativity, innovation and the human touch into video games. Supporting our cast is the right thing to do and there has never been any hesitation in considering the artist protections that anchor this agreement,” said Steve Martin, General Manager of Lightspeed LA. “We would like to thank Duncan Crabtree-Ireland and everyone at SAG-AFTRA for their openness and collaboration to help make this agreement a reality.”
Sarah Elmaleh, chair of the union’s Interactive Media Agreement negotiating committee, emphasized that the deal with Lightspeed LA is a signal that some publishers are willing to work with the union’s terms on the table.
“This strike has always been as much about starting work with the right AI protection as it is about stopping work without it. Lightspeed LA understands how critical these protections are for the actors, and are being implemented with an excellent commitment not only to this cast, but to their future casts as well,” said Elmaleh. “They made their sincere appreciation for artists as contributors concrete and impactful. I’m excited about this collaboration and can’t wait to see what this talented team of developers and artists create together.”