Video game characters are among some of the most recognizable figures in pop culture today. From newer names like Nathan Drake and Master Chief to arcade era icons like Super Mario and Pac-Man, it's highly likely you've stumbled upon a familiar character even if you don't play games.
A fact often overlooked by many gamers is that these digital avatars are brought to life by real people. Video game voice actors have often struggled to get recognition in the gaming world. Apart from a select few like Nolan North and Troy Baker, most in the industry toil away unheralded, reciting hundreds of hours of dialogue that may never even be heard by players.
That may soon change however, as a group of voice acting professionals are threatening to go on strike unless compensation and working conditions are improved.
The Screen Actors Guild - American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (SAG-AFTRA), has just put forth a proposal that would radically change the way voice actors are treated. The demands charges by the guild include performance bonuses and royalties, as well as time limits on recording sessions to reduce vocal stress.
The group wants payouts based on the amount of copies a given game has sold, they write:
You might call them residuals, secondary payments, royalties, pay bumps or whatever suits your fancy. It is simply the idea that, if a video game is wildly successful, actors should share in its financial success.
and they propose:
We're asking for a reasonable performance bonus for every 2 million copies, or downloads sold, or 2 million unique subscribers to online-only games, with a cap at 8 million units/ subscribers. That shakes out, potentially, to FOUR bonus payments for the most successful games: 2 million, 4 million, 6 million and 8 million copies.
Seems like a fair deal all things considered, but we'll have to wait and see how the industry responds.
