GTA 6 fans worried strikes could affect its 2025 release
As fresh SAG-AFTRA strikes threaten to grind the gaming industry to a halt and voice actors walk out over AI, GTA 6 fans are worried the game's 2025 release could be affected.
26th Jul 2024 10:02
Images via Rockstar Games
GTA 6 fans worried strikes could affect its 2025 release
As fresh SAG-AFTRA strikes threaten to grind the gaming industry to a halt and voice actors walk out over AI, GTA 6 fans are worried the game's 2025 release could be affected.
26th Jul 2024 10:02
Images via Rockstar Games
For those who've been around the block a few times, you'll know that strikes can decimate the entertainment industry. The 2007-2008 Writers Guild of America Strike ground the industry to a halt, and more recently, the 2023 SAG-AFTRA strike dealt a deadly blow to movies and TV.
Last year's strike shoved back the release dates for everything from Deadpool & Wolverine to The Last of Us Season 2, and with a fresh round of strikes apparently on the way, it seems like the video game industry could be in the firing line this time.
GTA 6 fans worried about its release date
As reported by Inverse, actors who perform in video games and are SAG-AFTRA members are going on strike today (July 26). This strike comes after 18 months of failed contract negotiations, with those involved citing issues with the aggressive use of AI to replicate their likeness.
Huge publishers, including Electronic Arts, Disney, and Take-Two Interactive, are likely to be affected, with the latter of the group being known as the overseer of the Grand Theft Auto franchise. SAG-AFTRA announced the news on its official site, claiming that a unanimous vote of 98.32% agreed to go on strike.
From today, work can't continue on affected titles until clear wording about the use of AI is written into contracts. There will be obvious repercussions from this, and while Take-Two has repeatedly locked in 2025 for the release of GTA 6, this latest news obviously has fans worried.
SAG-AFTRA President Fran Drescher writes, "We're not going to consent to a contract that allows companies to abuse A.I. to the detriment of our members. Enough is enough. When these companies get serious about offering an agreement our members can live — and work — with, we will be here, ready to negotiate."
It seems that GTA 6 should be safe from the crossfire, with Take-Two CEO Strauss Zelnick discussing strikes back in a November 2023 presentation, reiterating that the game is "completely protected" from SAG-AFTRA strikes. Still, Take-Two reportedly declined to comment when Inverse asked whether GTA 6 could be affected.
With GTA 6 hopefully in its final stages, it could simply be a case that all the voice work that needs to be done for now has been completed. If we're polishing the 2025 game and the voice work for characters like Jason and Lucia is complete, GTA 6 should be able to continue as normal.
When Culture Crave shared the news, it quickly got slapped with a community note, although gamers are still worried. One worried fan wrote, "Bro we have waited years for this game at this rate I will be dead when it's released...," while another added, "Welp. GTA 6 now releasing in 2029."
Inverse notes that, according to terms, games that began production before late last year won't be affected by the strike, suggesting that GTA 6 should still be able to race toward its release window. It's unclear how long these strikes will last, but as long as we're heading back to Vice City in 2025, there's a little light at the end of the tunnel.
About The Author
Tom Chapman
Tom is Trending News Editor at GGRecon, with an NCTJ qualification in Broadcast Journalism and over seven years of experience writing about film, gaming, and television. With bylines at IGN, Digital Spy, Den of Geek, and more, Tom’s love of horror means he's well-versed in all things Resident Evil, with aspirations to be the next Chris Redfield.
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