For those in the know --and those not impacted by the DDoS attack on DNS servers yesterday-- Friday was the beginning of a strike by the Screen Actors Guild - American Federation of Television and Radio Artists against eleven prominent video game companies.
Here's the list of companies, courtesy of the SAG-AFTRA pdf:
Here's the list of companies, courtesy of the SAG-AFTRA pdf:
- Activision Publishing Inc.
- Blindlight, LLC
- Corps of Discovery Films
- Disney Character Voices, Inc.
- Electronic Arts Productions, Inc.
- Formosa Interactive, LLC
- Insomniac Games, Inc.
- Interactive Associates, Inc.
- Take 2 Interactive Software
- VoiceWorks Productions, Inc. and
- WB Games, Inc.
If you notice, several major MMO properties are hit by this, such as WoW (Activision), SWTOR (EA), and LOTRO (WB Games).
I do have to wonder what sort of impact this strike will have on future games in the pipeline. I don't think that games that are already in the can but haven't been released are going to be affected, such as the latest SWTOR expac or Mass Effect Andromeda, but anything still being developed is likely to be impacted.
The interview with Jennifer Hale (yes, the Mass Effect and SWTOR Trooper Jennifer Hale) on NPR linked to above is very interesting.
I thought all the voices in WoW were done by Chris Metzen? :P
ReplyDeleteMore seriously though, I hope they can come to an agreement soon. I definitely sympathise with the voice actors there.
I loved that Chris Metzen quip! Sure seems that way...
DeleteAnd yes, I can sympathize. I can do a passable Kermit the Frog impression, and my throat hurts afterward every single time. I can only imagine what it must be like doing that for a living, and the damage that vocal chords take.