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Efftective 12:01 am on July 26, 2024, the US labor union SAG-AFTRA initiated a labor strike against all video game companies signed to the Interactive Media Agreement. ^{[2] [3]} The strike had been authorized in September 2023. ^{[4] [5] [6]} The strike started after a year and a half of negotiations failed to result in a protection agreement for all performers covered by this Interactive Media Agreement in their A.I. language. ^[2] In addition to video game performers, there were concerns about companies having the ability to train A.I. to replicate an actor’s voice, or create a digital replica of their likeness, without consent or fair compensation. ^[3]

On September 1, the SAG-AFTRA National Board voted to send the video game strike authorization vote to its members, ^{[7] [8]} and on September 25, the results showed the authorization passed with 98.32% voting in favor. ^[9] Months of negotiations which were held between SAG-AFTRA and major videogame companies such as Activision, Blindlight, Electronic Arts (EA), Epic Games, Insomniac Take-Two Interactive, Disney Character Voices and WB Games proved to be a failure. ^{[10] [11]} On July 25, 2024, SAG-AFTRA President Fran Drescher and SAG-AFTRA chief negotiator Duncan Cabtree-Ireland stated that SAG-AFTRA would go on strike against major video game publishers. ^{[12] [13]} Crabtree-Ireland affirmed that the strike would become effective at 12:01 am on July 26, 2024, while Drescher stated that “We’re not going to consent to a contract that allows companies to abuse A.I. to the detriment of our members. Enough is enough. When these companies get serious about offering an agreement our members can live — and work — with, we will be here, ready to negotiate.” ^[14] Roughly 2,600 people employed in the video game industry in voice acting, motion capture and other work would then go on strike. ^[10]