Latest news with #ElectronicArts
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Video game actors' strike officially ends after AI deal
Video game actors have voted to end a year-long strike over artificial intelligence (AI) protections. About 2,500 members of US union SAG-Aftra were involved in the action against 10 of the biggest companies in the industry, including Activision and Electronic Arts. Both sides had spent months hashing out a deal over the use of AI to replicate an actor's performance - and "guardrails" to prevent this from happening. The union said 95% of those who voted had backed the agreement, which also included changes to pay and health and safety protections. Both sides had already been locked in negotiations for about 18 months when the strike began last July. At the time, SAG-Aftra said they had agreed on 24 out of 25 disputed areas but the sticking point was using AI to replicate human performances. The big barrier was a disagreement over motion capture actors whose work was treated as "data" rather than as a performance. In a statement released after the vote to end the strike, the union said a new contract secured "consent and disclosure requirements for AI digital replica use". Performers can also withdraw consent in the event of future strikes, it said. Audrey Cooling, spokesperson for the video game companies negotiating with SAG-Aftra, said they were "pleased" members had approved a new Interactive Media Agreement. She said it included "historic wage increases, industry-leading AI protections, and enhanced health and safety measures for performers". Ashly Burch is a video game actor known for her performances as Tiny Tina in the Borderlands Series and Chloe in adventure game Life is Strange. Speaking to BBC Newsbeat after the strike was suspended so members could vote, Ashly said performers didn't want a total ban on AI in game development. "We just don't want to be replaced by it," she said. She said AI was "arguably a bigger threat to voice and movement performers" than actors in film and TV, and the strike's main goal was guarantees around "consent, transparency, and compensation". "Basically you have to get our consent to make a digital replica of us," she said. "You have to tell us how you're going to use it, and then you have to compensate us fairly." One of Ashly's best-known characters - Aloy from Sony's Horizon series - became a talking point during the strike when an AI-powered prototype of the character leaked. She said the response from fans to the model - which showed the character responding to prompts from a player - was reassuring. "To a person, everyone was like, 'I don't want AI performances in my games,," she added. Ashly has also worked on live-action projects such as Apple TV show Mythic Quest and her recent web series I'm Happy You're Here, focused on mental health. She said both reminded her of what human beings can bring to a role. "And that, to me, as a person that loves games and loves art, is the big risk of AI, that we're going to lose out on really interesting, evocative performances." The video game actors' strike did not affect the entire industry and mostly applied to workers and projects based in the US. And unlike the all-out 2023 Hollywood strike, video game performers were still able to work with companies that signed an interim addressing concerns over AI. Veteran voice actors Robbie Daymond and Ray Chase, who set up their own games studio, tell BBC Newsbeat the arrangement allowed them to continue work on their debut release, Date Everything! The game features a cast of roughly 70 well-known performers who were able to work on the project thanks to the interim deal. But Robbie, who's appeared in Final Fantasy 15 and various anime series, says it has been a tough year for performers in the US. "This was a long strike, and it has been heavily impactful for everybody involved," he says. Robbie says he is aware of people whose income took a hit in an industry where many performers do short stints on multiple projects. "I just hope people understand that when a strike goes on this long and people are talking about how serious it is for them, that it has a real human impact," he says. Video games strike rumbles on in row over AI Esports World Cup: The contest teams can't afford to miss Xbox producer tells staff to use AI to ease job loss pain Ray points out that voice actors had the option of taking work outside of video games, but the strike was especially hard for actors who specialise in motion capture. "If you came out to Los Angeles to be a motion capture actor, then your entire existence is being threatened by AI," he says. "Those guys are heroes for sticking out this long." Ray also points out that the strike will have affected video game developers if they weren't able to hire actors as easily. "Strikes are never easy on on workers. They're never easy on anybody," he says. "We're just so happy that we've found a peaceful resolution, for sure." Listen to Newsbeat live at 12:45 and 17:45 weekdays - or listen back here.
BBC News
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- BBC News
Video game actors' strike officially ends after AI deal
Video game actors have voted to end a year-long strike over artificial intelligence (AI) 2,500 members of US union SAG-Aftra were involved in the action against 10 of the biggest companies in the industry, including Activision and Electronic sides had spent months hashing out a deal over the use of AI to replicate an actor's performance - and "guardrails" to prevent this from union said 95% of those who voted had backed the agreement, which also included changes to pay and health and safety protections. Both sides had already been locked in negotiations for about 18 months when the strike began last the time, SAG-Aftra said they had agreed on 24 out of 25 disputed areas but the sticking point was using AI to replicate human big barrier was a disagreement over motion capture actors whose work was treated as "data" rather than as a a statement released after the vote to end the strike, the union said a new contract secured "consent and disclosure requirements for AI digital replica use".Performers can also withdraw consent in the event of future strikes, it Cooling, spokesperson for the video game companies negotiating with SAG-Aftra, said they were "pleased" members had approved a new Interactive Media Agreement. She said it included "historic wage increases, industry-leading AI protections, and enhanced health and safety measures for performers". Ashly Burch is a video game actor known for her performances as Tiny Tina in the Borderlands Series and Chloe in adventure game Life is to BBC Newsbeat after the strike was suspended so members could vote, Ashly said performers didn't want a total ban on AI in game development."We just don't want to be replaced by it," she said AI was "arguably a bigger threat to voice and movement performers" than actors in film and TV, and the strike's main goal was guarantees around "consent, transparency, and compensation"."Basically you have to get our consent to make a digital replica of us," she said."You have to tell us how you're going to use it, and then you have to compensate us fairly."One of Ashly's best-known characters - Aloy from Sony's Horizon series - became a talking point during the strike when an AI-powered prototype of the character said the response from fans to the model - which showed the character responding to prompts from a player - was reassuring. "To a person, everyone was like, 'I don't want AI performances in my games,," she has also worked on live-action projects such as Apple TV show Mythic Quest and her recent web series I'm Happy You're Here, focused on mental health. She said both reminded her of what human beings can bring to a role."And that, to me, as a person that loves games and loves art, is the big risk of AI, that we're going to lose out on really interesting, evocative performances." The video game actors' strike did not affect the entire industry and mostly applied to workers and projects based in the unlike the all-out 2023 Hollywood strike, video game performers were still able to work with companies that signed an interim addressing concerns over voice actors Robbie Daymond and Ray Chase, who set up their own games studio, tell BBC Newsbeat the arrangement allowed them to continue work on their debut release, Date Everything!The game features a cast of roughly 70 well-known performers who were able to work on the project thanks to the interim Robbie, who's appeared in Final Fantasy 15 and various anime series, says it has been a tough year for performers in the US."This was a long strike, and it has been heavily impactful for everybody involved," he says. Robbie says he is aware of people whose income took a hit in an industry where many performers do short stints on multiple projects."I just hope people understand that when a strike goes on this long and people are talking about how serious it is for them, that it has a real human impact," he says. Ray points out that voice actors had the option of taking work outside of video games, but the strike was especially hard for actors who specialise in motion capture."If you came out to Los Angeles to be a motion capture actor, then your entire existence is being threatened by AI," he says. "Those guys are heroes for sticking out this long."Ray also points out that the strike will have affected video game developers if they weren't able to hire actors as easily."Strikes are never easy on on workers. They're never easy on anybody," he says."We're just so happy that we've found a peaceful resolution, for sure." Listen to Newsbeat live at 12:45 and 17:45 weekdays - or listen back here.
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
What to Expect From Electronic Arts' Next Quarterly Earnings Report
Valued at a market cap of $38.3 billion, Electronic Arts Inc. (EA) is a leading American video game company that develops, publishes, and distributes interactive entertainment content for consoles, PCs, and mobile devices. It is headquartered in Redwood City, California, and is one of the largest and most influential players in the gaming industry. The company is scheduled to announce its fiscal Q1 earnings for 2025 after the market closes on Tuesday, July 29. Ahead of this event, analysts expect this electronic gaming company to report a loss of $0.38 per share, down 522.2% from a profit of $0.09 per share in the year-ago quarter. The company has surpassed Wall Street's earnings estimates in three of the last four quarters while missing on another occasion. This Underdog AI Stock Just Got a New Street-High Price Target Texas Just Passed Quantum Computing Legislation. How Should You Play IONQ Stock Here? 'The Most Patriotic Thing You Can Do Is Not Pay the IRS' Says Grant Cardone as OBBBA Signed into Law — Here's How Much You'll Save Get exclusive insights with the FREE Barchart Brief newsletter. Subscribe now for quick, incisive midday market analysis you won't find anywhere else. For fiscal 2025, analysts expect EA to report a profit of $6.14 per share, up 26.6% from $4.85 in fiscal 2024. Shares of EA have soared almost 8.6% over the past 52 weeks, trailing both the S&P 500 Index's ($SPX) 12.3% gain, and the Communication Services Select Sector SPDR Fund's (XLC) 22.7% rise over the same time frame. On May 6, EA released its Q4 2025 earnings report, and its shares rose marginally in the following trading session. The company reported net revenue of $1.78 billion, down 5% year-over-year, and net bookings of $1.67 billion, a 14% decline, reflecting weaker-than-expected performance in live services and game releases. Despite the revenue drop, EA posted a strong recovery in profitability, with net income reaching $182 million compared to a loss a year earlier, and gross margins improving to nearly 80%. The company generated $580 million in operating cash flow during the quarter and returned $376 million to shareholders via buybacks and dividends. Wall Street analysts are moderately optimistic about Electronic Arts' stock, with a "Moderate Buy" rating overall. Among 26 analysts covering the stock, nine recommend "Strong Buy," two suggest a 'Moderate Buy,' and 15 advise 'Hold.' Its mean price target of $168.40 represents a 10.3% upswing from the current market prices. On the date of publication, Kritika Sarmah did not have (either directly or indirectly) positions in any of the securities mentioned in this article. All information and data in this article is solely for informational purposes. This article was originally published on Error while retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error while retrieving data Error while retrieving data Error while retrieving data Error while retrieving data
Cision Canada
2 days ago
- Business
- Cision Canada
Scope Technologies Expands Product Leadership with Appointment of Andrew Knight as Vice President of Product
VANCOUVER, BC, July 10, 2025 /CNW/ -- Scope Technologies Corp. (CSE: SCPE) (OTCQB: SCPCF) (FSE: VN8) ("Scope Technologies" or the "Company") is pleased to announce the appointment of Andrew Knight as Vice President of Product. Mr. Knight brings nearly two decades of experience leading cross-functional development, outsourcing, and business initiatives at top-tier technology firms including Microsoft and Electronic Arts (EA). Knight will lead the continued growth and expansion of QSE, Scope Technologies' flagship quantum-resilient security platform, helping solidify the company's product strategy at a critical time of industry transformation. Proven Product Visionary with Deep Technical and Operational Expertise Mr. Knight brings a distinguished career marked by technical leadership and innovation in partner ecosystem development. Most recently, he served as Producer at Microsoft's Coalition Studios, where he oversaw strategic coordination across internal development teams. Previously, as Director of Business Development at Decentric, Mr. Knight drove initiatives at the intersection of decentralized infrastructure and secure user experiences. At Electronic Arts, he spent over six years as Development Director 2, leading technical art and engineering functions across multiple AAA franchises. Earlier in his career at Microsoft, he honed his ability to align external partnerships with internal pipelines as Outsource Manager, directing environment art and procurement for major studio teams. Mr. Knight is also the Co-founder of FuntaVR, an early pioneer in immersive content development based in San Francisco, where he bridged creative vision with operational strategy for distributed development teams. Driving Quantum Product Innovation at Scale "As Scope Technologies scales its business, having the right leadership at the intersection of technology, operations, and strategic partnerships is key," said Ted Carefoot, CEO of Scope Technologies. "Andrew brings a rare combination of deep technical execution and commercial strategy honed across several sectors such as digital interactive media. Procurement, and partner relationships. His leadership will be central as we evolve QSE's architecture and expand its adoption across enterprise security environments." Mr. Knight will oversee the continued development of QSE's feature set, ensuring its core cryptographic and cloud-native infrastructure supports the growing demand for quantum-resilient and compliance-driven deployments across verticals. "Building at the Frontlines of Quantum Security" "I'm incredibly excited to join Scope Technologies at such a transformative time," said Andrew Knight, VP of Product. "The rise of quantum threats demands proactive solutions, and QSE is uniquely positioned to deliver. I look forward to helping shape its next evolution—bringing together my experience in scalable production pipelines, external ecosystems, and secure product innovation." Scope Technologies continues to grow its leadership bench and deepen its market presence across quantum-proof technologies. Mr. Knight's appointment reinforces the company's commitment to delivering trusted, forward-looking products that protect organizations against both current and emerging cybersecurity threats. About QSE Group QSE Group, a division of Scope Technologies Corp., specializes in quantum-resilient encryption and secure cloud storage solutions. By leveraging true randomness (entropy) and advanced encryption techniques, QSE Group protects data from both current and future threats. Learn more at About Scope Technologies Corp Headquartered in Vancouver, British Columbia, Scope Technologies Corp is a pioneering technology company specializing in quantum security and machine learning. Through its flagship brands, QSE Group and GEM AI, Scope provides next-generation solutions in data security, quantum encryption, and neural networks—empowering businesses with secure, scalable technologies that drive growth and operational efficiency. LinkedIn: scope-technologies-corp Facebook: Scope Technologies Corp Twitter: @ScopeTechCorp Contact Information Ted Carefoot CEO, Scope Technologies Corp. [email protected] +1 604-202-6164 Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements This news release contains forward-looking statements that constitute forward-looking information (collectively, "forward-looking statements") within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities legislation. All statements in this news release that are not purely historical statements of fact are forward-looking statements and include statements regarding beliefs, plans, expectations, future, strategy, objectives, goals and targets, and more specifically, the use of proceeds of the Offering. Although the Company believes that such statements are reasonable and reflect expectations of future developments and other factors which management believes to be reasonable and relevant, the Company can give no assurance that such expectations will prove to be correct. Forward-looking statements are typically identified by words such as: "believes", "expects", "aim", "anticipates", "intends", "estimates", "plans", "may", "should", "would", "will", "potential", "scheduled" or variations of such words and phrases and similar expressions, which, by their nature, refer to future events or results that may, could, would, might or will occur or be taken or achieved. Forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks and are based on assumptions and analyses made by the Company in light of its experience and its perception of historical trends, current conditions and expected future developments, including, but not limited to, those risks and assumptions described in the Company's latest management discussion and analysis, a copy of which is available under the Company's profile on SEDAR at While Scope considers these assumptions to be reasonable, based on information currently available, they may prove to be incorrect. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on any forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date of this press release. In addition, forward-looking statements necessarily involve known and unknown risks, including, without limitation, risks associated with general economic conditions, continued satisfaction of Canadian Securities Exchange requirements, product safety and recalls, regulatory compliance and risks associated with the Company's business. Forward-looking statements are made as of the date of this news release and, unless required by applicable law, the Company assumes no obligation to update the forward looking statements or to update the reasons why actual results could differ from those projected in these forward-looking statements. All forward-looking statements are qualified in their entirety by this cautionary statement. The Canadian Securities Exchange has in no way passed upon the merits of the business of the Company and has neither approved nor disapproved the contents of this news release and accepts no responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy hereof.
CTV News
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- CTV News
Video game performers vote on contract that could end nearly 3-year battle over AI
SAG-AFTRA signage is seen on the side of the headquarters in Los Angeles on Friday, Nov. 10, 2023. (AP Photo/Richard Vogel,File) LOS ANGELES — Results from a union member vote on a tentative contract between video game performers and their employers are expected Wednesday evening. If ratified, the contract would formally end a nearly three-year effort from Screen Actors Guild-American Federation of Television and Radio Artists negotiators to obtain a new contract for video game performers. The process, which included an 11-month strike against several major game makers, hinged on how artificial intelligence would affect performers in the industry. If approved, the agreement will deliver pay raises, control over performers' likenesses and artificial intelligence protections. The contract was first reached in early June between the union and an industry bargaining group consisting of several major video game companies, including divisions of Activision and Electronic Arts. The nearly year-long strike was suspended on June 11 and about 3,000 SAG-AFTRA members covered by the interactive media agreement have had since June 18 to vote. Results will be announced soon after the vote ends at 5 p.m. Pacific. The 11-month strike 'was a grueling and excruciating process, ' Duncan Crabtree-Ireland, the SAG-AFTRA national executive director and chief negotiator said before the voting period closed. 'I hope and I believe that our members, when they look back on this, will say all of the sacrifices and difficulty we put ourselves through to achieve this agreement will ultimately be worth it because we do have the key elements that we need to feel confident and moving forward in this business,' Crabtree-Ireland said. The new contract secures 'industry-leading' AI protections, said Audrey Cooling, a spokesperson for the video game producers involved in the deal. The proposed contract delineates clear restrictions on when and how video game companies can create digital replicas, which use AI to generate new performances that weren't recorded by an actor. What's part of the tentative video game performers contract Employers must obtain written permission from a performer to create a digital replica — consent which must be granted during the performer's lifetime and is valid after death unless otherwise limited, the contract states. The time spent creating a digital replica will be compensated as work time, according to the agreement. The agreement also requires the employer to provide the performer with a usage report that details how the replica was used and calculates the expected compensation. The contract also secured an increase in performer compensation of just over 15 per cent upon ratification and an additional 3 per cent increase each year of the three-year contract. Increasing awareness and knowledge about the new AI provisions among union membership is crucial moving forward if the contract is ratified, Sarah Elmaleh, a voice actor and chair of the union's interactive branch negotiating committee, told The Associated Press before the voting period closed. 'Actually applying these guardrails in our work is going to take members paying attention, understanding what they should look out for, being engaged with their union and reporting things that look fishy or that are actually violations,' she said. Itzel Luna, The Associated Press
