Analytic Dreamz: Notorious Mass Effect - "THE SAG-AFTRA VIDEO GAME STRIKE CONTINUES"

Episode Date: December 11, 2024

Linktree: https://linktr.ee/AnalyticAnalytic Dreamz delves deep into the ongoing SAG-AFTRA video game actors strike on this segment of Notorious Mass Effect. Here's what you'll learn:Strike Overview:The strike commenced on July 26, 2024, involving SAG-AFTRA union members within the video game sector, primarily due to disputes over the use of artificial intelligence (AI) in games. With the strike approaching its 100th day, negotiations have been tense, with the latest talks on October 23 yielding no resolution.Key Employers Involved:Major video game companies like Activision, Disney Character Voices, EA Productions, Insomniac Games, Take 2, and WB Games are at the negotiation table. Despite recent discussions, no agreement has been reached, leaving the door open for further talks.Major Issues & Agreements:The central conflict revolves around AI terms, focusing on the need for clear protections against the unauthorized use of digital replicas for voice and motion capture. While 24 out of 25 proposals have tentative agreements, AI remains the unresolved issue. In January, SAG-AFTRA made strides with Replica Studios, ensuring performers' consent for voice replication.Interim Agreements:Over 120 games from 49 companies have opted into Interim Interactive Media Agreements (IIMA), which allow production to continue under SAG-AFTRA's terms. However, there have been allegations against Formosa Interactive for attempting to circumvent the strike by hiring nonunion talent for "League of Legends."Voting & Union Response:A strike was overwhelmingly authorized by 98.32% of SAG-AFTRA members in September 2023. Critics, however, have pointed out issues with transparency and enforcement of union agreements.Impact & Broader Context:While games currently on the market or in late-stage development remain largely unaffected, new projects might see delays. The strike's outcome could significantly influence the future of game development, particularly in how AI is integrated.Comparative Labor Movements:This strike echoes similar labor actions in entertainment, like the Writers Guild of America strike, focusing on AI's role. The broader entertainment industry, including film and TV, has seen production slowdowns, which could forecast future trends in gaming.Join Analytic Dreamz on Notorious Mass Effect for an in-depth analysis of these developments, providing insights into what this means for gamers, developers, and the industry at large.Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

Okay, would you guys mind not using our faces, voices, or likenesses to make money without compensating us? Of course not. The ethical and moral implications of such a thing would be bafflingly antagonistic. Okay, great. So if you could just sign this contract... No. All right, so analytic dreams video on Spotify to see the video along with the audio. And also, in addition to that, this clip was from Joe Ziaja.

I don't even know how to pronounce that. But anyways, you can see it right here. as far as his YouTube channel and I would definitely check out this video as it goes into what we're about to talk about today in this segment but this specific skit I had to include because this nails it on the head so with that being said,

analytic dreams video on Spotify to see the video along with the audio. So you do want to steal the method by which we make our livelihood and teach artificial intelligence to use them so you could replicate them without our permission or compensation? Well, that would be ridiculous. Nobody wants.

I certainly would be upset if a robot tried to take my job. Amazing. Then we're in agreement. If you could just put that in the contract, absolutely not. But you're promising that you won't do it? Yes, of course. So you could just put it in the note. But we need it in writing if we're going to not going to happen.

You realize that a promise in written form is just called a contract. Snowball's chance in hell. Well, I guess that means we're going to have to go on strike. Now, why on earth would you be so unreasonable? The issue for the... And then, ladies and gentlemen, that's where we stand today as. The biggest issue with this overall debacle is the use of artificial intelligence, which of course is AI. And of course, when it comes to employees not wanting to have their likeness just straight up ripped by AI to use on whatever project without getting proper compensation, you would think that.

the video game companies will obviously sign a contract saying that we won't steal your likeness and use AI to basically rip you off. But guess what? Obviously, that was not the case as this started back in July 26th, 2024, and it is still going on in November 24. So as far as the actual statement that they put out, basically SAG AFRA announced. that interactive media agreement negotiations with employers would continue so everybody was thinking that of course they'll just come to some type of middle ground you know they will basically understand that they are both very important to the process so let's just come to some sort of a agreement and just meet in the middle well ladies and gentlemen that did not happen as they said that the negotiations

will continue and of course it includes Activision Productions Blind Light LLC Disney character voices Electronic Art Productions Formosa Interactive Insomniac Games That was the big one for me

I mean Maybe this is tied to the reason why We're probably not going to get any DOC for Spider-Man 2 But anyways let's keep going Lama Productions Take 2 Productions and WB games.

And of course, they put out a statement saying that SAG after strike against all signatories, I think that's how you say it, to the Interactive Media Agreement began in July and remains in effect, with the exception of games signed to the tiered budget, independent interactive media agreement, or an intern, I don't think that's interim. That's interim interactive media agreement. And they basically said no further comment at this time. So obviously, this strike is nearing the 100-day mark. And with that being said, maybe it's even passed out.

I think that was dated back in October 23rd. So I don't know if it's past 100 days. Basically, it's been a long time, right? And the companies that I just read off, I mean, you have Disney. You have EA, Insomnia, Take 2, WB, the big dogs that are the gaming industry. So this is going to have some type of effect on video games. And like I just said, with Spider-Man. I mean, Insomnia Games are the ones who develop the Spider-Man games.

And there's been recent news that we may not be getting any DOC for Spider-Man 2. Now, of course, I'm not tying that, I'm not tying that directly to the strike. But it is seeming like Spider-Man 2 would not be getting any DLC. So I think the reason for that is probably because, one, everything got leaked from Insomniac. And that's a whole other debacle. If you look up Insomnia and Illytic Dreams, my segment on that will pop up. Insomnia definitely was being ran through the ringer as if all the year future developments are getting leaked. And then the voice actor for Venom passes away.

as far as Tony Todd RIP to him, then one could assume that puts significant setbacks on the production for the DOC and future games. So with all that being considered, that is why I'm saying that there probably will be no DLC for Spider-Man 2. So I think I saw that somewhere because I was wanting to look that up because I don't want to definitely can't be spreading fake news over here. So Spider-Man DLC. Let me see. okay i think they came out with okay so yeah they said they're not putting out any d oc on spider-man two because they want to focus on wolverine and then spider-man three so yeah i didn't just make that okay i was just making sure that people uh wasn't just yeah okay i was just making

sure all right because that's a pretty big deal i don't know if people actually know that but um why is this not replaying um okay back to all saying so yeah so that's a huge deal i'm not sure if if y'all was aware of that but yeah there's no dc coming out for spider man too but anyways back to the strikes right so all the companies that i just stated they essentially are acting the same way as far as the skit that i played at the beginning of the segment the proposal is basically centered around ai and sticking to the point that a i's role in creating voice and motion capture replicas without enforceable protections cannot happen right that's what the contract is about and then the other proposals are

basically AI being um but AI is a part of all of the other 25 proposals so as far as the main issue it's just AI I mean the actors went on strike um that's why a lot of their movies was pushed back and now when we're seeing the video game actors and voice actors going on strike, we're basically seeing that a lot of people are going to be affected with this type of stoppage of work. And that is the main point of going on strike. Because even though they said the interim employees can still work, that is basically over the independent side of gaming, I would say. Because it's like 120 games from 49 companies that assigned to the interim agreements because they basically were proceeding under sack after us preferred terms so

that means that they are good to go as far as people working for them because if you don't know if you go on strike and then somebody in the club ends up getting some big role or whatever and that's essentially because all well everybody's going on strike but you're the one that branched out to get the bag you know forgetting the reason that you're going on strike in the first place whenever they negotiate and come to a sort of come to an agreement i'm not going to say you're going to be outcasted but essentially you're going to be looked at and outcast by your peers which may be even worse than being outcast by the industry because then a big name actor could look at

your name say this person tried to step out while we was going on strike i don't want to work with him and guess what now you can't find a job that happens all the time so So anyways, with the strike, 98.32% of SAG AFRA members have authorized this strike. And then when it comes to the union, there has been some pushback as 98% is not 100. Critics have argued that SAG AFRA's handling has isolated workers by approving deals and secrecy and not enforcing contract terms. So of course when it comes to a union, not everybody is going to agree. If that was the case, then we would have world peace. But obviously, that is not the case.

Whenever you get some sort of foundation as far as a union, not everybody is going to agree, but that is okay as long as y'all can come to some sort of understanding that's pushing the overall genre forward or the overall purpose of the reason why y'all came together for it. So people are probably wondering, what does this mean for the future of gaming? Well, most games have already been released and have mostly been unaffected by them going on strike. But new or pre-production video games will indefinitely face delays.

Now, of course, Disney, EA productions, Insomniac Games take to W. UB games, Activision, and others are part of this strike. So as far as Black Op 6, the reason why that was able to come out because it was already finished, right? But now future installments of Call of Duty may be affected for the simple fact that this strike is happening. Future sports game because everybody knows EA is basically the king of sports right now. I mean, Madden, college football, FC as far as the soccer video game. that could be affected. So there's a broader implication here.

And I'm so surprised a lot more people aren't really focusing on how much of a big deal this is. Because similar strikes have happened in the entertainment industry, like the Writers Guild of American Strike. Then you had the actors going on strike. And all of that dropped the production down, basically eliminated a lot of the movies and TV shows that were set to come out and be people's favors. So when strikes happen and more specifically the strikes that just talked about as far as the writers and the actors, LA film production dropped 5% in the summer of 2024 adding to concerns about job losses in the union's future strategies. So when when people go on strike, the ramifications aren't really seen till years in advance. It's like the pandemic.

In 2020, we was all isolated. Well, supposedly we were supposed to be isolated. And then two to three years after, we saw the ramification of COVID. A lot of shortages, a lot of unfortunate events when it came to hospitals going over capacity and having to do certain things to get back under capacity. I don't want to get to the specifics. I'm not trying to be morbid. But things have, things of this magnitude have such future ramifications that we probably don't see it right now.

But this is probably going to be one of the biggest, one of the biggest turns in gaming, not gaming history, but it's definitely going to affect a lot of people's favorite games. And I just hope people put more credence on that, which is why I'm reporting on this continuing. Because if you look at a video game strike analytic dreams, I've already talked about. about this is apparent that I talk about it again because it's still continuing and it seems like we haven't received any type of continuation as far as a solution so hopefully they found a solution but the right solution of course I don't want them to just come to a solution where it's like okay we don't want to hold out no more you can have our rights right I just want them to come to a solution to where their rights are being considered and they're not being replicated by AI and completely

ripped off without any compensation So with that being said, click my link to you in my bio and let me know on one of my social media is what do you think about SAG after continuing the strike for the video game industry and at the end of the day, how long do you think this video game strike will end up going until it reaches a conclusion?