By Sagar V. Mankar Riot Games’ popular multiplayer online game League of Legends has now been included in the list of blocked titles by the SAG-AFTRA video game strike.
The strike began in July 2024, primarily due to unresolved issues related to artificial intelligence (AI) and unfair labor practices in the video game industry.
While League of Legends was initially exempt from the strike, it has since been added after SAG-AFTRA accused Formosa Interactive, a company providing voiceover services for the game, of engaging in illegal labor practices.
What’s the Issue with League of Legends?
According to SAG-AFTRA, Formosa Interactive allegedly tried to “cancel” one of its struck video games after the union’s strike began on July 26.
When Formosa was informed that canceling the project was not an option, the company secretly transferred the game to a shell company and started hiring “non-union” talent to complete the work.
The union condemned this action, stating that Formosa’s behavior constitutes a direct violation of labor laws. The unilateral move to transfer union work to a non-union entity undermines the rights of performers and violates their ability to organize, according to the union’s statement.
SAG-AFTRA has since filed an unfair labor practice charge against Formosa with the National Labor Relations Board, accusing the company of undermining union protections.
The Broader Video Game Actors Strike
The regulation of artificial intelligence (AI) in video games is one of the primary reasons behind the ongoing strike.
The union is demanding protections for actors and performers against the unethical use of AI in video games, specifically to ensure that AI does not replace or misuse the work of voice actors and other performers.
This has been a major point of contention, as video game companies have been slow to agree to the union’s proposed regulations.
Several other major gaming companies, including Activision Productions, Electronic Arts, and WB Games, are part of the bargaining group involved in negotiations with the union.
The strike is being handled on a title-by-title basis, meaning that certain games are exempt if they were already in production before the latest round of contract extensions.
Future of the SAG-AFTRA Strike
Despite the ongoing strike, there has been some positive progress. Lightspeed LA, developer of Last Sentinel, recently signed SAG-AFTRA’s agreement.
Additionally, SAG-AFTRA has reported that 80 games have signed their Interim IMA or Tiered Budget Independent agreements.
The strike is still ongoing and will not stop until the major studios mentioned above sign the broader IMA.