Some striking writers now working on game scripts

WGA strikers flee to game writing
As you may have heard, the Writers Guild of America (WGA has over 12,000 writers) have been on strike all month to negotiate a new employment contract. With key issues being that profits made from subsequent airings or purchases of a program, are a necessary part of a writer’s income that is typically relied upon during periods of unemployment that are common in the writing industry.

The irony is that now some writers are turning to a medium resistant to unions, games. Two years ago, the Screen Actors Guild failed to achieve the inclusion of residuals for game sales when they approved a new contract covering work by actors in videogames, and game developers themselves have no union to speak of.

The WGA, however, has recently shown signs of interest in including video games into the union, creating a video game writing award to be presented at the 2008 Writers Guild Awards in February. “Video games are written and many are written very well” said WGA West President Patric M. Verrone of the award at the time. “By recognizing the skill and craft of video game writing, the Writers Guilds intend to raise the profile of these writers so that they can get WGA contracts and benefits for this work.” — Quotes via 1UP