The relationship between professional unionised video game voice, stunt and motion capture actors and the companies that employ them has been frosty for a long time now.

Many veteran voice actors, including Tara Strong (Final Fantasy's Rikku, Batman: Arkham's Harley Quinn and many more), Steve Blum (Wolverine in various X-Men games, every gruff voiced character ever) and many more have spoken out about the poor payment and treatment they receive, despite working as hard as actors (live action or vocal) in Hollywood.

Last year, the SAG-AFTRA union gave the go ahead for a potential strike, and now it is finally happening.

This content is imported from Twitter. You may be able to find the same content in another format, or you may be able to find more information, at their web site. Very sad that it's come to this. They refused to negotiate. We have no choice. I stand in solidarity with @sagaftra #performancematters — Steve Blum (@blumspew) October 21, 2016

A document posted by the union reads: "SAG-AFTRA tried for more than 19 months to negotiate a new deal with employers in the video game industry. Meanwhile,

performers have been governed by the more than two-decade old contract still in place.



This content is imported from Twitter. You may be able to find the same content in another format, or you may be able to find more information, at their web site. Again we're not talking "game actors" vs. other pro actors. Every pro actor in union is striking. Important distinction. #performancematters — Liam O'Brien (@VoiceOfOBrien) October 21, 2016

"That has left voice actors without the protections necessary to work in the modern video game industry. "

The union is asking for performance bonuses, information about the nature of the performance before signing on and protection for the actors to be more in line with other entertainment mediums.

This content is imported from Twitter. You may be able to find the same content in another format, or you may be able to find more information, at their web site. If you're looking to start in #voiceover and are considering The Voice Realm, this is how they behave in a Union strike #performancematters pic.twitter.com/czX33ogw9i — Jay Britton (@VoiceJayBritton) October 21, 2016

The following employers have been named in the strike: Activision Publishing, Inc.; Disney Character Voices, Inc.; Electronic Arts Productions, Inc.; Insomniac Games, Inc.; Interactive Associates, Inc.; Take 2 Interactive Software; VoiceWorks Productions, Inc.; and WB Games, Inc.

As anyone with a passing interest in video games will know, these are some of the biggest names in the industry.

Triple A video games often generate more revenue than blockbuster movies, yet these video game actors aren't demanding millions of dollars per film - they just want their contracts to be fair.

This content is imported from Twitter. You may be able to find the same content in another format, or you may be able to find more information, at their web site. #performancematters Final straw 4 me was one of the negotiators looked in my eyes & said, "No one really cares about the voices" — tara strong (@tarastrong) October 21, 2016

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