EA says the video game actor strike will not have "any significant short-term impact" on the company

EA CEO Andrew Wilson has stated that the SAG-AFTRA actors' strike, which began on July 26, will have no immediate impact on the publisher.

The details:

• On July 26, SAG-AFTRA, a labor union that represents actors in the United States, declared a strike after failing to negotiate protections for its members regarding the use of AI in video games. At the time, it was in the process of negotiating with several major industry players, including EA.

• During a recent earnings call (via IGN), Wilson was asked about the strike's potential impact on the publisher in the short term, including whether it would disrupt its live service titles or upcoming releases. The CEO began by stating that the company "deeply values" its acting talent and that it would continue to negotiate with the union in order to "resolve [its] issues at the bargaining table."

• Wilson went on to explain that the strike is "limited to games commencing production after September 2023," meaning that the company does not expect any "near-term disruption" to any games currently in the works, including live service releases such as Apex Legends.

• SAG-AFTRA began negotiations with EA, Activision, Disney, and others in October 2022, and reached an agreement on 24 of its 25 proposals, including wage increases. Some projects, including Grand Theft Auto VI, have been confirmed as not being directly involved in the strike, but the union has stated that production may still be disrupted.

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