In national voting completed today, SAG-AFTRA members approved the 2025 SAG-AFTRA Interactive Media Agreement by a vote of 95.04% to 4.96%, ratifying the deal and concluding the video game strike.
The strike had already been suspended pending ratification. The agreement provides compounded increases in performer compensation at a rate of 15.17% upon ratification plus additional 3% increases in November 2025, November 2026 and November 2027.
Additionally, the overtime rate maximum for overscale performers will now be based on double scale. The health & retirement contribution rates to the AFTRA Retirement Fund will now be raised from 16.5% to 17% and then to 17.5% in October 2026.
The new contract also accomplishes performer safety guardrails and gains around AI, including consent and disclosure requirements for AI digital replica use and the ability for performers to suspend consent for the generation of new material during a strike.
SAG-AFTRA President Fran Drescher said in a statement, “I commend the strong leadership of Interactive Media Agreement negotiating chair Sarah Elmaleh, who remained steadfast through three years of hard bargaining while facing many challenging headwinds during a challenging negotiation cycle.”
Drescher added, “This deal achieves important progress around AI protections, and progress is the name of the game! My sincere respect goes out to the entire video game performer community and their allies for their solidarity during the strike which provided the necessary leverage to secure this deal’s many essential gains.”
SAG-AFTRA National Executive Director & Chief Negotiator Duncan Crabtree-Ireland said in a statement, “All of us at SAG-AFTRA would like to extend our deepest appreciation to the video game performers and allies who endured a great deal of sacrifice throughout the 11-month strike.”
Crabtree-Ireland added, “I’d also like to express my sincerest gratitude to the Interactive Media Agreement Negotiating Committee and its chair, Sarah Elmaleh, who have worked tirelessly for nearly three years in order to achieve these necessary gains and protections alongside our negotiating staff and lead negotiator Ray Rodriguez. Now that the agreement is ratified, video game performers will be able to enjoy meaningful gains and important AI protections, which we will continue to build on as uses of this technology settle and evolve.”
On behalf of the video game producers that are party to the agreement, spokesperson Audrey Cooling added in a statement, “We are pleased that SAG-AFTRA members have ratified a new Interactive Media Agreement, which delivers historic wage increases, industry-leading A.I. protections, and enhanced health and safety measures for performers. We look forward to building on our industry’s decades-long partnership with the union and continuing to create groundbreaking entertainment experiences for billions of players worldwide.”
Votes were submitted online and by mail-in ballot, with the deadline of today, July 9, 2025, at 5 p.m. PT. The final vote was certified by Integrity Voting Systems, an impartial election service based in Everett, Washington.
SAG-AFTRA represents approximately 160,000 actors, announcers, broadcast journalists, dancers, DJs, news writers, news editors, program hosts, puppeteers, recording artists, singers, stunt performers, voiceover artists, influencers and other entertainment and media professionals.
