The newest Episode for Destiny 2, dubbed Heresy, will be slightly less chatty than usual. In its most recent blog, Bungie revealed “certain voice lines” will not be voiced in-game due to the ongoing SAG-AFTRA strike.
Bungie is compensating for this by having subtitles on by default, so players “do not miss any narrative content.” In-game activities for Heresy will also feature an on-screen warning if they have missing voice lines, so players are aware before the activity starts.
Voice actors under SAG-AFTRA have been striking for better working conditions and protections from generative AI since July 2024. Discussions between the union and major game studios like WB Games and Insomniac Games continued after a brief pause for negotiations last October.
The SAG-AFTRA strike continues
Other games beyond Destiny 2 have been affected by the ongoing strike. Last year, MiHoYo similarly warned Genshin Impact players some English lines would be unvoiced due to “recording arrangements.” Voice actors are technically allowed to continue working on Genshin, but the game’s recording company, Formosa Interactive, previously came under fire from SAG-AFTRA, which accused it of trying to bypass strike rules.
League of Legends developer Riot was also pulled into the union’s dispute with Formosa. After clarifying it was uninvolved with the company’s alleged actions, Riot revealed certain in-game League skins would use previously recorded voiceover work until the strike is resolved.
Conversely, Activision Blizzard recast roles for Call of Duty: Black Ops 6’s Zombies mode. The game itself is not a struck production, however, Activision may not have signed a daily contract that would have allowed actors to keep working on it.
Since the strike started, SAG-AFTRA has managed to strike deals with smaller studios and ensure protections for dub actors and indie developers. It’s also struck deals with several AI voice companies to ensure actors are “protected and compensated fairly.”