The game allows players to build, craft, fight and destroy landscapes in their own pixelated worlds. Since its release in 2011, “Minecraft” has become the bestselling video game of all time, selling over 300 million copies and scoring a $2.5 billion acquisition from Microsoft in 2014. It’s spawned an interactive series available on Netflix as well as a live-action movie set for 2025.

As of 2024, roughly 21% of the game’s 170 million monthly active users are aged 15 years or younger — and YouTube videos about “Minecraft” have been streamed on the Alphabet-owned platform more than 1 trillion times. 

The days of gaming being a niche in the world of children’s entertainment are no more. For creators looking to reach children where they are, video games — on consoles, mobile devices, tablets and computers —  have become essential. 

At the same time, YouTube videos of people live streaming their playthroughs have become a widely watched genre on the platform, especially among its youngest viewers. Gaming has become so vital to the kids entertainment ecosystem that studios and networks have ventured into online games like “Roblox” to position movie billboards and other promotional materials.

As TheWrap previously reported, in the new world of kids entertainment, children are pivoting away from linear and migrating to YouTube. But they’re also shifting to gaming, which continues to grow as a substantial part of how kids consume media and entertainment. 

“It’s really rare to find a piece of kids’ content that only works on linear or only works on YouTube,” Vanessa Brookman, general manager of kids, global streaming and international networks for Cartoon Network, told TheWrap. “If it’s a good idea for kids, it will work on linear, it will work on YouTube, it will work in streaming, it will work in gaming.”

But just like social and YouTube content before it, creating a gaming strategy isn’t as easy as copying and pasting characters onto a Candy Crush knockoff. Here’s why gaming is so vital to some of the biggest players in children’s television and why this space raises concerns when it comes to children’s safety. 

Video games are where Gen Alpha are

Mobile and tablet games, as well as video games, account for the third and fourth most-popular ways children consume media, according to a study by Precise TV and Giraffe Insights. Of the children surveyed, 55% said that they recently played a mobile or tablet game, and 44% said they recently played a video game. Of the 190.6 million people the Entertainment Software Association found played video games in 2024, 24% of them were under the age of 18. 

Sara DeWitt, SVP and General Manager of PBS Kids, has noticed that kids are more likely to watch short-form content or play mobile games when they’re holding a phone. When they’re on a computer, streaming videos and playing video games are far more popular activities. 

Gaming is such an essential part of PBS Kids that the network released a specialty PBS Kids Games app available on both tablets and mobile devices, which includes over 280 games. PBS also takes “cold pitches” for games in the same way it takes pitches for shows in its content submission portal.

“People pitch us games because we have a huge gaming library and a really robust audience in games,” DeWitt said. 

Fred Rogers Productions, which is behind such hits as “Daniel Tiger’s Neighborhood” and “Alma’s Way,” has been making what it calls interactive content since 2002, which has expanded the audience for its new shows. The late Mister Rogers always prioritized how new technology could be used to help educate children. 

“For a young child, they want to experience the stuff that they love — the shows, characters and stories,” Ellen Doherty, chief creative officer for Fred Rogers Productions, told TheWrap. “Games are a great way to engage kids in problem-solving and immerse them in a world that is story-driven and learning-driven.”

The production company has tried to ensure that the lessons and themes from each of their shows appear in their respective games. For example, the math-focused “Odd Squad” always features equations in its games, and the “Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood” spinoff “Daniel Tiger’s Neighborhood” often focuses on social and emotional learning, as well as life lessons.

“We don’t just port things from one place to another …  We are designing for that experience and making the most of what you can do with a website versus a game versus a TV show versus a podcast,” Doherty explained. “When there’s new ways to tell a story differently — which you can do in games — that’s exciting.”

Gaming is more than just brand awareness

“Roblox,” a 20-year-old online gaming platform that allows players to program and play games built by other users, is an example of a game that entertainment companies are leveraging to expand their marketing reach.

When Cartoon Network first launched its “Game On” expansion of “Roblox” in 2022, it was largely seen as a tool for fans to engage with each other, and for players to interact with the network’s characters in one of their favorite games. 

But as Cartoon Network’s expansion continued, team members started to notice the ways certain players were using the company’s characters.

“It’s almost like early development,” Brookman said. “You’re getting to see people’s creative processes and thoughts really early on. Then, if you like it, you can bring them back into the process and formalize the relationship.” 

Cartoon Network also collaborated with Warner Bros. Pictures to use “Roblox” last year to promote “Wonka,” by featuring billboards of the movie inside the game. Both Cartoon Network and Warner Bros. Pictures share Warner Bros. Discovery as their parent company. And when Cartoon Network launched “The Heroic Quest of the Valiant Prince Ivandoe,” that came with a premiere inside of “Roblox.” 

“If you’re doing well in ‘Roblox,’ then you can also talk about the games on YouTube, and the audience will start to talk about the games on YouTube,” Brookman explained. “So everything expands the whole.”

That leads into another segment of children’s entertainment that’s massively popular: gaming content, longform videos of YouTubers playing video games and talking to their viewers as they play through.

In 2020, YouTube Gaming had its best year to date, producing more than 100 billion hours in watch time and over 40 million active gaming channels. During that year, “Minecraft” and “Roblox” were responsible for 201 billion views and 75 billion views, respectively.

“It’s hard for an older generation to wrap their heads around the fact that these kids are just spending so much time watching these videos,” Eric Berger, CEO of Common Sense Networks told TheWrap. “But if you talk to these kids, what they’re trying to get across is that it’s no different than Mom and Dad watching a basketball game.”  

The risks of gaming

Gaming as a whole may be essential to the modern kid’s media diet, but that doesn’t mean it’s a risk-free bet. The projects can’t last forever due to their technical limitations. Because of that, companies and creators have to make careful calculations about how much to invest in a game, and for how long. 

At the same time, the gaming market around children’s entertainment isn’t as robust as it once was. The number of Americans playing video games has dropped from 212.6 million in 2023 to 190.6 million in 2024. However, overall gaming consumption is still up over 16% compared to 2019, the year before the COVID-19 bubble. 

“The kids gaming market, both console and mobile, has been shrinking outside of ‘Roblox,’” Chris Williams, founder and CEO of Pocket.watch, a digital-first studio that helps turn YouTube family channels into franchises, told TheWrap. The past two years have seen mass layoffs in the gaming industry as the inflated interest in gaming from the pandemic has dissipated. 

There are also issues associated with “Roblox,” a platform that still struggles to make users money, Williams said. Some industry executives have safety concerns about the game. “We want to feel more comfortable, particularly with ‘Roblox,’ about its commitment to child safety before going full on in there,” he said.

In October, “Roblox” announced new child safety measures, including a parental control that requires permissions for children under the age of 13 to use the chat function and protections that prohibit children under nine years old from playing certain games. The restrictions are commonplace when it comes to most children-focused spaces on the internet. 

When indie games like “Roblox” or “Minecraft” are created, they’re rarely done so with a young audience in mind. That often means game makers don’t add basic measures often used to protect children until later. 

There’s also the YouTube gaming ecosystem to consider. A cottage industry has emerged around YouTubers and talents on Amazon-owned Twitch sharing their live feeds as they play games, and just like the games themselves, the content is rarely created with children in mind. That means a video that may look safe to parents may actually feature a streamer using language that’s too mature for children, or in some of the worst cases, full of racial slurs.

“They’re moving into creator-driven content that is either coming up in their feeds or they’re hearing about through a friend, and this is not big-studio marketing,” Berger said. “‘Roblox’ content, ‘Minecraft’ content that they’re streaming on YouTube, is not going to come from a big studio or streaming service.”

Between the endless scrolling of streaming services and the algorithmic randomness of YouTube, the volatility of gaming is just another way in which the current state of children’s entertainment is the Wild West. 

“Enough time has passed now that there’s another shift that’s happening or about to happen, and who knows what this next generation of parents are going to want for their kids and what sort of safeties they’re going to want to put in place,” Cyma Zarghami, MiMo Studios founder and former president of Nickelodeon, told TheWrap. 

Read TheWrap’s previous reports on the future of kids entertainment below:

• Kids TV Is Dead, Long Live Kids TV
• The Kids Are Online: As Gen Alpha Flocks to YouTube, the Industry Chases a New Normal

The post Game On: As Kids Move to Gaming, Creators and Parents Race to Keep Up appeared first on TheWrap.

Set on Earth-212, the show will follow the birth of the Justice League and classic DC characters, including Batman, Wonder Woman, Superman and more. The voice cast includes Aleks Le (“Demon Slayer” and “Persona 3 Reload”) as Batman and YouTube singer AmaLee as Black Canary.

“We are at the dawn of superheroes. The Tower of Fate will suddenly fall onto Gotham City, and heroes will meet for the first time,” AmaLee says in the trailer. “Each week will bring a new half-hour episode with three to five different decisions for the audience to make together. You’ll be asked to make choices about how Superman, Batman and Wonder Woman should behave, and these choices will affect other characters.”,

Viewers can make those decisions in the ‘DC Heroes United’ app, where they can also access the EveryHero project, a roguelite game developed by LexCorp.

“You will help Lex Luthor test how different heroes and villain abilities combine taking on the new enemies you’ll encounter in the story. This challenging game pushes you hard to survive each intense battle with countless gear, hero and ability combinations. You’ll need to try different combinations and strategies to win,” AmaLee adds. “Play as your favorite characters and unlock new locations, enemies and more each week tied to what’s happening in the series. What you do as a collective in theme will be referenced by Lex inside the episodes and change the storyline.”

“DC Heroes United” is written by comic book writers Gail Simone, Josh Fialkov and Brian Buccatello, with art by DC artist Terry Dodson. Stephan Bugaj serves as showrunner, with narrative decisions written by Telltale’s Martin Montgomery and Chris Schroyer.

Check out the trailer below:

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The company reported a 69% increase in net income and 3% uptick in revenue during its second quarter of 2024, with weaker results at Sony Pictures Entertainment offset by growth in its Games and Networks business.

Sony anticipates 12.71 trillion yen ($83.23 billion) in sales for the year, up from its previous guidance of 12.6 trillion yen ($82.5 billion), while its forecasts for operating income and net income remain unchanged at 1.31 trillion yen ($8.58 billion) and 980 billion yen ($6.4 billion), respectively.

Here are the top-line results:

Net income: 338.5 billion yen ($2.2 billion), up 69% year over year

Revenue: 2.91 trillion yen ($19 billion), up 3% year over year

Operating income: 455.1 billion yen ($2.98 billion), up 73% year over year

Sony Pictures Entertainment: Sales of 355.8 billion yen ($2.33 billion), down 11% from 2023

Strike-affected TV deliveries impact Sony Pictures

A falloff in the number of deliveries of television programs, in part due to the impact of the 2023 Hollywood strikes, drove down sales in Sony Pictures Entertainment. Operating income fell 37% to 18.5 billion yen ($121.1 billion), mainly due to the decline in sales.

During the quarter, Sony released five films theatrically, including “It Ends With Us,” “Bad Boys: Ride or Die,” and “Venom: The Last Dance.” Crunchyroll, which has previously surpassed 15 million monthly paid subscribers, also expanded its user base through partnerships with Prime Video channels and YouTube Primetime channels, the latter of which will launch at the end of the year.

Sony said that while it was still recovering from the strikes, the number of major films it has released since the work stoppages has been increasing. “We expect television and video streaming service licensing revenues to recover from the second half of this fiscal year through next fiscal year,” the company added. “Moreover, we have begun streaming many new anime titles from the second half of this fiscal year and aim to further increase engagement with anime fans around the world.”

For fiscal year 2024, Sony Pictures Entertainment sales are expected to fall slightly to 1.51 trillion yen ($9.9 billion), while operating income will dip 8% to 115 billion yen ($752.7 million), primarily due to a revision in the results forecast of its media networks business in India.

“The operating environment [in India] is challenged primarily due to softness in the advertising market and a decrease in viewers of pay television,” Sony said. “However, under the new local management team that started in August, we are strengthening our operations and rebuilding our strategy to grow the business over the mid- to long-term, including by continuing to improve viewership through re-strengthening of our programming.”

Games segment grows strongly

Game and Network Services sales grew 12% year over year to 1.72 trillion yen ($11.26 billion) due to an increase in third-party software sales, despite a decrease in hardware sales. Operating profit for the segment jumped 184% to a record 138.8 billion yen ($908.6 million) for its second quarter, due to an increase in hardware, third-party software and network services profit.

Monthly active users across PlayStation platforms grew 8% to 116 million accounts, marking the eighth consecutive quarter of growth, while total play time grew 14% compared to last year and 11% since the beginning of fiscal year 2024. During the latest quarter, 3.8 million PlayStation 5 game consoles were sold globally, compared with 4.9 million units sold the same period a year ago.

Astro Bot has sold over 1.5 million copies in the nine weeks since its release on Sept. 6, with 37% of users who purchased the title not purchasing a title from Sony in the last two years. Sony also launched two live service games in 2024: “Helldivers 2,” which was a hit, and “Concord,” which was shut down.

Looking ahead, Sony increased its sales forecast for the segment by 4% to 4.49 trillion yen ($29.4 billion) and expects operating income for the segment to grow 11% to a record 355 billion yen ($2.32 billion). It expects sales and profits to decline in the second half of the year due to comparisons related to Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 and Helldivers 2.

Music catalogs drive streaming growth

Music sales grew 10% to 448.2 billion yen ($2.9 billion) and operating income increased 12% to 90.4 billion yen ($591.9 million), primarily due to an increase in live performance, merchandising and licensing revenues, as well as streaming revenue.

“We are expanding our business globally in markets where streaming is
growing quickly, such as emerging markets, including through digital music
distribution and artist services provided by The Orchard and AWAL,” the company said. “On the other hand, in countries and territories where streaming is more widespread, consumption of catalog music is increasing.”

Sony noted that the share of consumption for catalog music released over 18 months ago reached 73% in the recorded music market in the U.S. Additionally, the share of songs released over 10 years ago in the Spotify Global Top 200 grew from less than 5% in 2020 to over 20% through the end of July due to a demographic shift to more mature age groups, as well as more opportunities for younger listeners to consume older hit songs on social media.

“These music catalog assets serve as a stable earnings foundation for the long term not only from the consumption of streaming but also from use in media such as movies and advertisements,” the company added. “Additionally, by also acquiring name, image and likeness rights related to music artists for some catalogs, we are pursuing additional monetization opportunities such as merchandising and experiential live events that use these rights.”

The music segment’s full-year forecast remains unchanged from the previous forecast of 1.74 trillion yen ($11.39 billion) in sales and 330 billion yen ($2.16 billion) in operating income.

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The project will be written and executive produced by Daniel Casey (“10 Cloverfield Lane,” “F9: The Fast Saga,” “Kin”). Other executive producers include Karim Zreik (“Daredevil,” “Jessica Jones,” “Luke Cage,” “The Punisher,” “Legion”) under his Cedar Tree Productions banner’s overall deal, Ari Arad (“Borderlands,” “Uncharted,” “Ghost in the Shell,” “Iron Man,” “Ghost Rider”) and EA’s Michael Gamble.

News of the TV series was first revealed back in 2021, but there had been no updates since then. There have also been various failed attempts to adapt the game into a feature film. Specific plot details for the upcoming series have not been disclosed.

The video game franchise depicts a distant future where humanity and several alien civilizations have colonized the galaxy using technology left behind by advanced precursor civilizations.

The first three games in the triology follow Commander Shepard, who attemps to save the Milky Way Galaxy from a race of ancient, hibernating machines known as the Reapers. The first installment, released in 2007, follows Shepard’s investigation of Saren Arterius, one of the Reapers’ agents. “Mass Effect 2,” which was released in 2010, begins two years later and follows Shepard’s forces battling the Collectors, an alien race abducting human colonies to facilitate the Reapers’ return. “Mass Effect 3,” released in 2012, depicts a war between the Reapers and the rest of the galaxy.

In addition to the trilogy, a fourth game was released in 2017 called “Mass Effect: Andromeda,” which featured a new setting and cast of characters. A fifth game is in active development. Additionally, the franchise has spawned multiple mobile games, as well as an animated film, novels, comic books and other media.

The franchise is developed by BioWare and published by EA.

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The app, which launches Nov. 18, will “offer families the ultimate digital ‘playground’ featuring fun and unique content made to be shared both within the app and in-person, encouraging families to make the most of the moments they have with each other.”

The fast food chain released a trailer for its first series, “Evergreen Hills”:

The company describes the original animated series as “playful new adventures with the animated Chick-fil-A Cows.” Despite being mobile based, the company makes clear that the show is meant to be watched in landscape mode, though it notes it can be cast to either a TV or tablet.

The app and its programming appears to be a broader extension of the brand’s 2021 video series “Stories of Evergreen Hills,” as the same world is featured throughout the streaming content.

The chicken vendor also promoted that it’s offering original scripted podcasts, designed to be kid-friendly, for “use on the way to school, practice and anywhere in-between.” The app’s content also includes e-books and interactive stories.

Looking to be a one-stop shop, the app also includes “games, jokes and conversation starters.” They promote the opportunity to generate family discussion and laughs, either at home or on the go. Like, say, at your local Chick-fil-A.

The app also includes video-based recipes and “kid-friendly crafts,” encouraging families to experiment in the kitchen and engage in arts and crafts projects.

The app can be pre-downloaded on iPhones, iPads and Androids.

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The development came in an effort to move the series in a different creative direction.

In the meantime, Judkins will remain under an overall deal with Sony Pictures Television, where he will focus on new development. He will also maintain his status as the showrunner of Prime Video’s fantasy drama “The Wheel of Time.”

Santa Monica Studio’s creative director Cory Barlog will stay on the project as executive producer with PlayStation Production’s Asad Qizilbash and Carter Swan, and Santa Monica Studio’s Yumi Yang and Vertigo’s Roy Lee. 

News that Prime Video was ordering the live-action series was announced in December 2022.

The video game “God of War” follows Kratos, the titular god, who, after exiling himself from his blood-soaked past in Ancient Greece, hangs up his weapons forever in the Norse realm of Midgard. When his beloved wife dies, Kratos sets off on a dangerous journey with his estranged son to spread her ashes from the highest peak — his wife’s final wish. Kratos soon realizes the journey is an epic quest in disguise, one which will test the bonds between father and son, as well as force Kratos to battle new gods and monsters for the fate of the world.

“’God of War’ is a compelling, character-driven franchise that we believe will captivate our global customers as much with its expansive and immersive worlds as its rich storytelling,” Vernon Sanders, head of global television at Amazon Studios, said at the time the show was greenlit. “We are honored to share in the adventure of exploring the God of War mythology in such a momentous way with Sony Pictures Television, PlayStation Productions, and Santa Monica Studio.”

The post ‘God of War’ Amazon Series Loses Showrunner Rafe Judkins, Writers Mark Fergus and Hawk Ostby appeared first on TheWrap.

The film is directed by “Shazam!” director David F. Sandberg.

The anticipated project stars Ella Rubin, Michael Cimino, Ji-young Yoo, Belmont Cameli, Odessa A’zion, Maia Mitchell and Peter Stormare. Inspired by the game, the film is an R-rated and terrifying love letter to the horror genre, centering on an ensemble cast.

Released in 2015 and featuring a voice cast led by Rami Malek and Hayden Panettiere, “Until Dawn” is a horror game in which players take control of eight different people who are stuck in a mountain forest and attacked by bloodthirsty creatures. The decisions made by the player determine how many of the eight characters survive until they are rescued at dawn, and the game’s autosave feature prevents the player from going back and changing their decisions.

The project marks Sandberg’s return to horror after directing the 2019 DC film “Shazam!” and its 2023 sequel “Shazam! Fury of the Gods.” Sandberg broke into Hollywood with his short horror film “Closet Space,” which caught the attention of New Line Cinema and got him his feature debut, “Lights Out” before making “Annabelle: Creation” as part of New Line’s “Conjuring” franchise.

Gary Dauberman wrote the latest version of the “Until Dawn” script. Blair Butler wrote the previous draft. The film is produced by Dauberman, Mia Maniscalco, David F. Sandberg, Lotta Losten, Roy Lee, Asad Qizilbash and Carter Swan. Charles Miller is executive producing.

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Befitting the musical nature of “Rocky Horror,” the project even includes chiptune versions of songs from the films — including, but of course, the “Time Warp.” The game features 8-bit-styled graphics bringing the show’s sets and characters to life, combining ’80s nostalgia with the show’s ’70s retro vibes in the release from FreakZone Games and Metal X Entertainment/Bit Bot Media.

“‘The Rocky Horror Show’ is a unique experience that transcends traditional entertainment, and we wanted to bring that magic to gamers — whether they’re already fans of the IP or discovering it for the first time,” producer Joshua Viola said in a Thursday statement. “For those familiar with ‘Rocky Horror,’ they’ll get to relive it in a fresh, exciting way. For newcomers, it’s an unforgettable introduction to a cult classic, delivered with a twist only a video game can provide.”

“But beyond all that, it’s simply a blast to play,” Viola continued. “At its core, it’s a true platformer and we’ve made sure the gameplay is every bit as engaging as the musical itself.”

The trailer features a number of classic moments from the film, set in a side-scroller that feels like a mashup of “DuckTales” and “Castlevania.” The game draws from Richard O’Brien’s original stage show, recreating its scenes and dialogue while letting players become characters including Brad, Janet (damn it) and Dr. Scott. It includes “light combat elements,” according to its official description, which includes the opportunity to wreak a little havoc within Dr. Frank N. Furter’s laboratory.

“As a longtime fan of ‘The Rocky Horror Show,’ it was an honor to adapt the legendary musical into a video game,” FreakZone Games designer Sam Beddoes said in a statement. “Now both new fans and veterans can enjoy a whole new take on the story and music in crunchy 8-bit goodness.”

The game is set for a mobile release at a later date. The musical has been a video game before — but you’ll have to look back to the Commodore 64 days for the original 1985 game, followed by a 1999 release of the “Rocky Interactive Horror Show” computer game.

“The Rocky Horror Show Video Game” was designed and developed by Beddoes. FreakZone Games was previously the lead developer of “Toxic Crusaders” and worked on games such as “Angry Video Game Nerd Adventures.”

The “Rocky Horror” game was produced by Viola and Klayton (Celldweller) of Metal X Entertainment/Bit Bot Media. Klayton is a musician who has contributed to film, TV and video game franchises like “Transformers,” “Malignant” and “Killer Instinct,” while Viola is an author known for “Soul Reaver” and “True Believers.”

The project is Bit Bot Media’s first video game release. The company is focused on films, video games, comics and music. One of its most successful prior projects was a Kickstarter campaign for “The Legacy of Kain: Soul Reaver — The Dead Shall Rise” graphic novel, which raised more than $1.3 million and is the fifth largest funded graphic novel/comic book project in the platform’s history.

“The Rocky Horror Show Video Game” will be available in October for Sony Playstation, Xbox, Nintendo Switch and Steam.

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In a statement released on its website Tuesday, SAG-AFTRA accused Formosa Interactive, a signatory to the guild’s Interactive Media Agreement and the company that provides voiceover services to Riot Games, of committing a “flagrant violation of labor law” that has led to the guild filing an unfair labor practice charge with the National Labor Relations Board.

SAG-AFTRA claims that Formosa tried to cancel one of its current video games in development shortly after the start of the guild’s strike in July, and after being told that was not possible, transferred the game to a shell company that put out casting notices for non-union talent only.

“SAG-AFTRA charges that these serious actions are egregious violations of core tenets of labor law – that employers cannot interfere with performers’ rights to form or join a union and they cannot discriminate against union performers. The unilateral and surreptitious transfer of union work to a ‘non-union’ shell company is an impermissible and appalling attempt to evade a strike action and destroy performers’ rights under labor law,” the statement reads.

In its own statement, Formosa, which has provided voice services for top video games like EA Sports’ “Madden NFL” series, Sony’s “God of War” and Naughty Dog’s “The Last of Us,” denied SAG-AFTRA’s claims.

“We fully reject SAG-AFTRA’s allegations and have not acted in any manner to undermine employee or union rights, nor our relationship with the union. We believe the strike of ‘League of Legends,’ a game unrelated to the union’s claims, is not appropriate. We stand with developers, publishers, platform holders, and talent to support global game development in a way that is safe and ethical for all,” the statement reads.

Riot Games released its own statement distancing itself from Formosa’s alleged actions and also noting that “League of Legends” is unrelated to the charges.

“‘League of Legends’ has nothing to do with the complaint mentioned in SAG-AFTRA’s press release,” Riot’s statement read. “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 US and has never once suggested doing otherwise.”

“In addition, we’ve never asked Formosa to cancel a game that we’ve registered,” the statement continued. “All of the allegations in SAG-AFTRA’s press release relating to canceling a game or hiring non-union talent relate to a non-Riot game, and have nothing to do with ‘League’ or any of our games.”

As a game released in 2009 and which provides continued voice work for actors through new promotional and in-game content, League of Legends was not on SAG-AFTRA’s list of struck games. Its addition to that list comes as the game is about to get renewed attention among fans this week with the start of its annual World Championships, one of the most watched esports tournaments in the world.

“League of Legends is a game of champions. Instead of championing the union performers who bring their immense talent and experience to beloved characters, decision-makers at Formosa have chosen to try to evade and abandon them,” said Sarah Elmaleh, chair of SAG-AFTRA’s negotiating committee for the Interactive Media Agreement.

“Such double-dealing is very disappointing from a longtime committed union signatory. And such regrettable choices are unnecessary when our union committee and staff are as collaborative and excited to create protected work as our performers love to collaborate with game makers and love this work,” she continued.

While last year’s film and TV strike had multiple contract issues that needed to be resolved in order for it to end, SAG-AFTRA called this video game strike around a single issue: terms on consent and compensation protections around artificial intelligence for actors and motion capture performers.

While SAG-AFTRA and the agreement signatories have come to terms on all other contract issues, the guild says that the companies’ offer on AI protections would only cover guild members playing roles with a likeness that resembles them, leaving the vast majority of roles unprotected. The guild has created an interim agreement to allow video game developers to employ union voice actors if they agree to stronger AI protections.

“It’s bad enough that Formosa and other companies are refusing to agree to the fair AI terms that have been agreed to by the film, television, streaming and music industries, as well as more than 90 other game developers,” said national executive director Duncan Crabtree-Ireland. “To commit illegal unfair labor practices is beyond the pale and won’t be tolerated by SAG-AFTRA members. Formosa will be held accountable, starting with an immediate strike of League of Legends.”

The post League of Legends Added to SAG-AFTRA Video Game Strike appeared first on TheWrap.

The interim agreement system, unveiled by SAG-AFTRA during last year’s film/TV strike, gives producers who are not part of the companies being struck an opportunity to continue work on their projects and provide more employment opportunities to guild members. To sign on to an interim agreement, the producers must agree to work under the contract terms that SAG-AFTRA most recently proposed to the companies that are signatories to the contract being struck.

While SAG-AFTRA came to terms on the vast majority of bargaining points with the companies signed to the Interactive Media Agreement — including Disney, Activision, Insomniac and WB Games — the two sides were not able to come to terms on protections around artificial intelligence.

SAG-AFTRA maintained that the proposals from the companies only required them to seek consent from guild members to create digital replicas of their voice and movements if the character they were playing had a strong resemblance to the actor, a rule that would have excluded the vast majority of roles from AI protections.

“We applaud those video game companies signing our tiered-budget and interim agreements. Not only are they doing the right thing by their workers, they’re also helping to preserve the human art, ingenuity and creativity that fuels interactive storytelling,” national executive director Duncan Crabtree-Ireland said in a statement. “These agreements signal that the video game companies in the collective bargaining group do not represent the will of the larger video game industry. The many companies that are happy to agree to our A.I. terms prove that these terms are not only reasonable, but feasible and sustainable for businesses.”

While the full list of signees has not been released, SAG-AFTRA said that among those who have signed the interim agreement, which cuts out the likeness loophole, include Lightspeed L.A., the developer of the upcoming open world action game “Last Sentinel.”

Other developers that have signed on include Little Bat Games, which recently released its debut game with the visual novel “Vampire Therapist,” and Studio Wildcard, developers of the survival action series “Ark.”

“This labor action is about creating work with sufficient A.I. protections. The sheer volume of companies that have signed SAG-AFTRA agreements demonstrates how reasonable those protections are. We are thrilled for our actors to continue working under fair union contracts with companies who know how invaluable our performers are to their games,” SAG-AFTRA Interactive Media Agreement Negotiating Committee chair Sarah Elmaleh said.

“Lightspeed L.A. has always recognized and valued the irreplaceable role of talent, which injects creativity, innovation and the human touch into video games. Supporting our cast is the right thing to do and there was never any hesitation to consider the performer protections that anchor this agreement,” Steve Martin, general manager of Lightspeed L.A., said.

While the interim agreement is taking root, there is still a good chance that, given the long production process of video games and loopholes that exempt games that started production prior to September 2023, the SAG-AFTRA strike could take some time. The last video game strike, launched by the union in 2016 over residuals and compensation, lasted just over 11 months.

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