Posted in: Games, Indie Games, Video Games | Tagged: Interactive Media Agreement, SAG-AFTRA

SAG-AFTRA Members Approve 2025 Interactive Media Agreement

SAG-AFTRA members voted to approve and ratify the 2025 Interactive Media Agreement, thus ending the strike almost one year later

In what will be the longest strike SAG-AFTRA has held against any entertainment industry, the 2025 Video Game Agreement has been approved by its members, ending after nearly a calendar year. Back on June 12, the tentative agreement was presented to participating members to vote on, as they had until 5pm PT today to cast their votes. This evening, the members overwhelmingly approved the new agreement, ending the strike once and for all at 348 days. (Technically, it stopped at 324 when the agreement was presented for a vote, but some members don't count strikes ending until an agreement is signed. The record for the longest strike was already held for the same issue from 2016-2017 at 340 days, so we'll let them debate which one lasted longer.) We have the official statement from the union below as they will now ratify the agreement with the studios.

2025 Interactive Media Agreement Approved by SAG-AFTRA Members

The agreement provides 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 and retirement contribution rates to the AFTRA Retirement Fund will now be raised from 16.5% to 17% and then to 17.5% in October 2026. The new contract also accomplishes performer safety guardrails and gains around A.I., including consent and disclosure requirements for A.I. digital replica use and the ability for performers to suspend consent for the generation of new material during a strike. Votes were submitted online and by mail-in ballot, with the deadline of today, July 9, 2025, at 5 p.m. PT. The final vote was certified by Integrity Voting Systems, an impartial election service based in Everett, Washington.

SAG-AFTRA President Fran Drescher said, "I commend the strong leadership of Interactive Media Agreement Negotiating Chair Sarah Elmaleh, who remained steadfast through three years of hard bargaining while facing many challenging headwinds during a challenging negotiation cycle. This deal achieves important progress around A.I. protections, and progress is the name of the game! My sincere respect goes out to the entire video game performer community and their allies for their solidarity during the strike which provided the necessary leverage to secure this deal's many essential gains."

On behalf of the video game producers that are party to the agreement, spokesperson Audrey Cooling added, "We are pleased that SAG-AFTRA members have ratified a new Interactive Media Agreement, which delivers historic wage increases, industry-leading A.I. protections, and enhanced health and safety measures for performers. We look forward to building on our industry's decades-long partnership with the union and continuing to create groundbreaking entertainment experiences for billions of players worldwide."

SAG-AFTRA National Executive Director & Chief Negotiator Duncan Crabtree-Ireland said, "All of us at SAG-AFTRA would like to extend our deepest appreciation to the video game performers and allies who endured a great deal of sacrifice throughout the 11-month strike. I'd also like to express my sincerest gratitude to the Interactive Media Agreement Negotiating Committee and its chair, Sarah Elmaleh, who have worked tirelessly for nearly three years in order to achieve these necessary gains and protections alongside our negotiating staff and lead negotiator Ray Rodriguez. Now that the agreement is ratified, video game performers will be able to enjoy meaningful gains and important A.I. protections, which we will continue to build on as uses of this technology settle and evolve."

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