By Danielle Broadway

LOS ANGELES, July 9 (Reuters) - Hollywood video game voice and motion capture actors signed a new contract with video game studios on Wednesday with a focus on artificial intelligence protections, the actors' union, SAG-AFTRA, said in a press release, ending a near year-long strike.

"AI was the centerpiece of our proposal package," video game voice actor and member of the negotiation committee Sarah Elmaleh told Reuters after the new agreement passed.

Elmaleh, a voice actor for popular titles like "Final Fantasy XV" and "Call of Duty: Black Ops III," said she knew it was crucial to ensure there was a baseline for how to ethically use AI in the gaming industry.

The new protections include consent and disclosure requirements for AI digital replica use and the ability for performers to suspend consent for the generation of new material during a strike.

"This deal achieves important progress around AI protections, and progress is the name of the game," SAG-AFTRA President Fran Drescher said in the guild's statement.

The deal applies to video game studios Activision Productions, Blindlight, Disney Character Voices, Electronic Arts Productions, Formosa Interactive, Insomniac Games, Llama Productions, Take 2 Productions and WB Games.

The new Interactive Media Agreement, which goes into effect immediately, was approved by SAG-AFTRA members by a vote of 95.04% to 4.96%, ratifying the deal and ending the video game strike, which had been suspended pending ratification.

The new contract also offers more performer safety measures, which was a specific concern for motion capture video game performers.

"There are folks who not only give their voices to these characters, but their bodies, and they put their bodies on the line for these characters," Elmaleh said.

Motion capture actors will have medics available during high-risk jobs.

The deal also provides compounded increases in performer pay at a rate of 15.17% upon ratification plus additional 3% increases in November 2025, November 2026 and November 2027.

The work stoppage of video game voice actors and motion-capture performers started following failed contract negotiations focused around AI-related protections for workers, bringing about another work stoppage in Hollywood following the dual writers' and actors' strikes in 2023.

The strike brought a larger call to action across Hollywood as people in the industry advocate for a law that can protect them from AI risks.

The NO FAKES Act, a bipartisan bill in Congress which would make it illegal to make an AI replica of someone's likeness and voice without their permission, has gained support from the SAG-AFTRA performers union, the Motion Picture Association, The Recording Academy and Disney.

(Reporting by Danielle Broadway; Editing by Christopher Cushing)

((Danielle.Broadway@thomsonreuters.com;))