The Screen Actors Guild-American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (SAG-AFTRA) National Board approved the tentative agreement with the video game bargaining group.
The contract on terms for the Interactive Media Agreement will now be submitted to the membership for ratification.
The new contract accomplishes important guardrails and gains around AI, including the requirement of informed consent across various AI uses and the ability for performers to suspend informed consent for Digital Replica use during a strike.
If ratified, the agreement would provide compounded increases in performer compensation at a rate of 15.17% upon ratification plus additional 3% increases in November 2025, November 2026 and November 2027. Additionally, the overtime rate maximum for overscale performers will now be based on double scale. The health & retirement contribution rates to the SAG-AFTRA Health Plan will be raised from 16.5% to 17% upon ratification and to 17.5% in Oct. 2026.
Compensation gains include the establishment of collectively-bargained minimums for the use of Digital Replicas created with IMA-covered performances and higher minimums (7.5x scale) for “Real Time Generation,” i.e., embedding a Digital Replica-voiced chatbot in a video game. “Secondary Performance Payments” will also ensure compensation when visual performances are re-used in another videogame.
Essential new safety provisions were also secured, including a requirement for a qualified medical professional to be present or readily available at rehearsals and performances during which hazardous actions or working conditions are planned. Rest periods are now provided for on-camera principal performers and employers can no longer request that performers complete stunts or other dangerous activity in virtual auditions.
The spokesperson for the video game producers party to the Interactive Media Agreement, Audrey Cooling, said earlier this week in a statement, “We are pleased to have reached a tentative contract agreement that reflects the important contributions of SAG-AFTRA-represented performers in video games. This agreement builds on three decades of successful partnership between the interactive entertainment industry and the union.”
Cooling added, “It delivers historic wage increases of over 24% for performers, enhanced health and safety protections, and industry-leading AI provisions requiring transparency, consent and compensation for the use of digital replicas in games. We look forward to continuing to work with performers to create new and engaging entertainment experiences for billions of players throughout the world.”
The full terms of the three-year deal will be released with the ratification materials on Wednesday, June 18.
A tentative agreement was reached with the video game employers on June 9 and the strike was officially suspended on June 11.
Member informational meetings are being scheduled and additional details will be available at sagaftra.org/videogames2025 in the coming days.
Eligible SAG-AFTRA members will have until 5 p.m. PDT on Wednesday, July 9, 2025 to cast their vote on ratification.
SAG-AFTRA represents approximately 160,000 actors, announcers, broadcast journalists, dancers, DJs, news writers, news editors, program hosts, puppeteers, recording artists, singers, stunt performers, voiceover artists and other entertainment and media professionals.
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