Electronic Arts Inc. EA CEO Andrew Wilson remains confident that the video game company will feel minimal short-term impact from the recent SAG-AFTRA strike.
What Happened: According to IGN, during EA’s recent earnings call, Wilson addressed investor concerns regarding the strike's potential effects.
"We deeply value our talented actors who are an important part of the work we do to deliver the incredible entertainment experiences that our players enjoy around the world. We’re working very closely; this is not an EA-specific situation, this is an industry-specific situation, and we’re working diligently to negotiate at the table,” Wilson stated.
“The way it works now in terms of our product specifically is that the strike is limited to games commencing production after September 2023, including live service games. So we don’t expect any near-term disruption to any of the games we have in development or any of the live services we’re currently running,” the CEO added. “That being said, we’re committed to continuing to bargain in good faith and are hopeful that the parties can expediently resolve our issues at the bargaining table. But we’re not anticipating any significant short-term impact at EA."
Why It Matters: Actors wish to secure better protections against gaming companies’ usage of artificial intelligence (AI).
And EA has a robust portfolio of live service games. The company's $1.26 billion in net bookings for the quarter are fueled by titles like Madden NFL 24, FC Mobile, and FC Online.
Upcoming releases such as Madden NFL 25, EA Sports FC 25, and NHL 25, alongside The Sims 4 and College Football 25, are unaffected, according to the company.
EA's sole single-player offering, Dragon Age: The Veilguard, remains on track. The company's focus on long-term development cycles means many of its games slated for future release were greenlit well before the September 2023 cutoff, insulating them from immediate disruption.
Yet, Wilson's remarks don't address the potential long-term implications of the strike. If the walkout persists, projects initiated post-September 2023 could face delays, potentially disrupting EA's plans for 2026 and beyond. The absence of SAG-AFTRA voice actors could slow down development on future titles, creating a ripple effect that might become evident in the coming years.
SAG-AFTRA initiated the video game actor strike on July 26, following eighteen months of unsuccessful negotiations primarily centered around AI protections.
Read Next: SAG-AFTRA Calls Video Game Strike Over AI Concerns
Image credits: Sergei Elagin on Shutterstock.
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