League of Legends Deep in Hollywood Actors Union Dispute

In a brewing conflict between Hollywood’s actors union and an audio company, “League of Legends” finds itself at the heart of the dispute. The Screen Actors Guild-American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (SAG-AFTRA) initiated a strike against the renowned online multiplayer game on Tuesday. The union alleges that Formosa Interactive, which provides voiceover services for “League of Legends,” sought to circumvent an ongoing video game strike by recruiting non-union actors for a different project.

SAG-AFTRA claims that Formosa attempted to “cancel” an unnamed game affected by the strike when it began. When cancellation proved impossible, the union alleges, Formosa transferred the game to a shell company and issued casting notices exclusively seeking non-union talent. In retaliation, the union’s interactive negotiating committee unanimously decided to file an unfair labor practice charge with the National Labor Relations Board and called a strike against “League of Legends” as part of this action.

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Known for its pivotal role in the “League of Legends” franchise, Formosa Interactive provides essential voiceover services for the game, according to SAG-AFTRA. The union accuses Formosa of undermining performers’ rights to unionize and protect against discrimination, branding these actions as “egregious violations of core tenets of labor law.”

Formosa has not yet responded to requests for comment. Riot Games, the developer of “League of Legends,” distanced itself from the controversy, asserting that the dispute does not involve them directly. The company emphasized its commitment to employing U.S. union performers exclusively for the game since it became a union project five years ago, and denied ever asking Formosa to cancel a game registration.

Riot clarified that SAG-AFTRA’s grievances pertain to a different, non-Riot game. The union’s national executive director, Duncan Crabtree-Ireland, expressed frustration over the situation, highlighting that many companies had already agreed to fair AI terms similar to those in film, television, streaming, and music industries. He condemned the alleged illegal labor practices as intolerable.

As a consequence of the strike call, SAG-AFTRA has instructed its members to immediately cease providing covered services to “League of Legends,” which had previously remained unaffected by the strike. Formosa Interactive is noted as a union signatory.

Sarah Elmaleh, Chair of the Interactive Media Agreement Negotiating Committee, criticized Formosa for their alleged duplicity. She lamented the company’s choice to evade its commitments rather than support the union performers who contribute significantly to the game’s beloved characters.

The dispute follows more than a year of failed negotiations regarding the union’s interactive media agreement, which led SAG-AFTRA to strike against major game companies in July over concerns related to the use of unregulated artificial intelligence. Formosa Interactive is a member of the bargaining group involved in these negotiations.