Kingdom Hearts 2.8 listed as part of SAG-AFTRA strike

[Chaser]

On October 21st 2016, SAG-AFTRA announced that it would be on strike against Video Game Employees after negotations for a new deal fell through. According to their flyer, SAG-AFTRA tried for over 19 months to negotiate a deal that would replace the SAG-AFTRA Interactive Contract, which was made in 1994. In protest, SAG-AFTRA have announced that they want voice actors to go on strike against various companies (including Insomniac Games, Take 2, Activision, etc.) who have put games into production since February 18th 2015.

Disney Character Voices, Inc. was also included in the strike notice. According to the SAG-AFTRA list of video games they are striking, Kingdom Hearts HD 2.8 Final Chapter Prologue was included. This means that any voice actor who is working on Kingdom Hearts 2.8 and is a SAG-AFTRA member can withhold their services from employees. It is yet unknown if this will have any effect on the release of Kingdom Hearts HD 2.8 Final Chapter Prologue next year.

A strike means withholding your services from employers who are not willing to agree to terms and conditions that you and your fellow members are insisting upon. It is this ultimate show of solidarity that allows us to achieve difficult gains in your contract. You may continue to work in other non-struck areas, but your membership obligates you not to render services on struck games. The success of a strike will depend not only on members honoring the strike order, but also on showing their support

- SAG-AFTRA

The issues that SAG-AFTRA wanted to change include secondary compensation (performance bonus for every 2 million sales, up to 8 million sales), transparency (knowing what video game they are auditioning for), and vocal safety.

The strike will occur on Monday October 24th 2016 at Electronic Arts head quarters. You can read their flyer here and their bulletin here.

We have reached out to Square Enix for a comment.

Thanks to Tinny for the find.

 

[Muke]

So... this means what now? Didn't get it.
I feel like this is really, really bad though. ;n;

 

[Chaser]

So... this means what now? Didn't get it.
I feel like this is really, really bad though. ;n;

As it says in the article, video game artists who are SAG-AFTRA members are called in to strike against video game employers. This means refusing to go in a record for video games from the companies listed. This means anyone who is a Voice Actor for Kingdom Hearts is currently refusing to come in to record for 2.8.

In case anyone was wondering, Ben Diskin seems to be a SAG-AFTRA member so if he was called in to do voice work, he would have to refuse. Since KH2.8 is listed, there are people (most likely Disney voices) who are a part of SAG that are working on 2.8.

Ben Diskin did mention in his interview with us that he had no idea he audition for Kingdom Hearts 3D [Dream Drop Distance], and that is one of the things SAG-AFTRA was hoping to change with a new deal.

 

[Muke]

As it says in the article, video game artists who are SAG-AFTRA members are called in to strike against video game employees. This means refusing to go in a record for video games from the companies listed. This means anyone who is a Voice Actor for Kingdom Hearts is currently refusing to come in to record for 2.8.

In case anyone was wondering, Ben Diskin seems to be a SAG-AFTRA member so if he was called in to do voice work, he would have to refuse. Since KH2.8 is listed, there are people (most likely Disney voices) who are a part of SAG that are working on 2.8.

Ben Diskin did mention in his interview with us that he had no idea he audition for Kingdom Hearts 3D [Dream Drop Distance], and that is one of the things SAG-AFTRA was hoping to change with a new deal.

Thanks!

Oh man, that really sucks. So they have no choice but to strike? And… I suppose the Japanese VA's aren't members of SAG-AFTRA, since it is an English 'group'?

 

[Alpha Baymax]

Let's just hope that Square Enix re-assures us that they're still on schedule and that all the English voice acting has already been accomplished before this strike begins.

 

[Blackdrazon]

Just for additional clarity (not responding to anyone here or anything), I'm going to point out that the strike is against Disney Character Voices Inc, so while Square Enix might be forced to make hard choices as a consequence of the strike, they aren't actually involved in the negotiation process. This is a matter between SAG-AFTRA and Disney.

@Alpha Baymax: We can hope!

 

[rokudamia2]

It's worth mentioning Square Enix themselves were not listed as a company that they'd be striking against. Just Disney Character Voices.

 

[Chaser]

The reason I reached out to Square for a comment it because they still have an involvement in 2.8 and thus should be able to respond plus I don't know anyone at Disney.

Everything else mentioned was yeah, Disney.

 

[Dandelion]

Thanks to Audo for letting me know about the strike list!

 

[blank points]

Oh dang, this is a bit worrisome. Granted, the voice recording for 2.8 seems to be finished, so what effect this may have is unknown for now. I'm more concerned for what this may mean for KH3. With luck, by the time KH3 is released, this matter will hopefully be resolved, but this is still worrying.

 

[catcake]

I hope the situation works out for the best for the voice actors, they probably do deserve better working conditions. And of course, that it won't affect KH schedules. I'm not too worried yet, but we'll see.

 

[Chuuya]

That's obviously not good. Crossing my fingers that there won't be any effect in the development of both 2.8 and 3. Mostly 3 cause the game still needs more development that we know of.

 

[Muke]

Why would this affect the development of KH? Afaik, it's an English Group, so the Japanese Seiyuus aren't striking, soo this would only affect the localization

 

[TheGreatEphemera]

Hope this doesn't ruin Kingdom Hearts 2.8

 

[Dandelion]

I'm actually pretty confident that this won't have any impact on 2.8, since recording should have been finished some time ago - listing it it probably just a formality since it started development after February 2015

 

[xdrake24]

Interesting...although I've seen voice work on 2.8 finished a while ago, so my beloved Willa has nothing to do with this. That's good news for me!

 

[WaveK89]

The strike is certainly something I'm not against. More power to the voice actors. On the other hand, I would be disappointed if this affected/delayed the localization of 2.8 and KH3. I suppose that's selfish of me to think about.

 

[gosoxtim]

i don't it affected kh 2.8 at all since va be done for while and they only been brought in for re recoding lines and stuff like willa was for probally kh 3 wont be affected that much either since we don't know how much devleopment of kh3 is finished and the only thing could doing is for trailer since we know that nomura was proabally working a trailer for next year

 

[Dandelion]

i don't it affected kh 2.8 at all since va be done for while and they only been brought in for re recoding lines and stuff like willa was for probally kh 3

Mm, I doubt it. Willa was most likely finishing up 0.2, as the audio we saw in the TGS trailer wasn't even leveled or mastered.

 

[gosoxtim]

Mm, I doubt it. Willa was most likely finishing up 0.2, as the audio we saw in the TGS trailer wasn't even leveled or mastered.

that what i mean willa was bought in to finish lines and stuff and nomura already said they were doing recoding for kingdom hearts most likey a kingdom hearts 3 before the strike stuff happen