SAG-AFTRA adds League Of Legends to the list of struck video games

Until a few hours ago, League Of Legends was one of a handful of video games not impacted by the ongoing SAG-AFTRA video game strike strike. Not anymore, LOL. Earlier today, SAG-AFTRA announced that it added League Of Legends to the list of struck games as part of the union’s attempt to secure AI protections for video game voice performers.

However, SAG-AFTRA isn’t striking against Riot Games, the makers of League Of Legends. SAG is retaliating against Formosa, a third-party producer Riot licensed to make voice content for the game. Shortly after the strike was called in July, Formosa tried to cancel a struck game, SAG explained in a press release. When that proved impossible, Formosa “secretly transferred the game to a shell company and sent out casting notices for ‘NON-UNION’ talent only.” SAG accuses Formosa of “an impermissible and appalling attempt to evade a strike action and destroy performers’ rights under labor law.” SAG-AFTRA has since filed an unfair labor practice with the National Labor Relations Board. By striking League Of Legends, the union is telling members to stop working on one of the most popular multiplayer games in the world.

Riot is distancing itself from Formosa. In a statement to AP, the company says, “We want to be clear: Since becoming a union project five years ago, League Of Legends has only asked Formosa to engage with union performers in the U.S. and has never once suggested doing otherwise. In addition, we’ve never asked Formosa to cancel a game that we’ve registered.”

SAG-AFTRA called for a labor strike against the Interactive Media Agreement signatories, which includes some of the world’s biggest gaming publishers, like Disney and Warner Bros., in July 2024, following a year and a half of negotiations surrounding the use of AI slop. Like the film and TV industry, the video game industry would also like to copy performers’ likenesses and voices so they can stop having to hire them. As such, the union wants to find a way for voice actors to maintain some semblance of dignity as the entertainment industry searches for ways to make its output worse through the magic of lousy tech nobody likes or wants.

“To commit illegal unfair labor practices is beyond the pale and won’t be tolerated by SAG-AFTRA members,” said Duncan Crabtree-Ireland, the breakout labor organizer of last year’s SAG-AFTRA strike.” Formosa will be held accountable, starting with an immediate strike of League Of Legends.”