Hollywood Actors Union Targets Popular Game in Dispute with Formosa Interactive

  • SAG-AFTRA calls for strike against ‘League of Legends’
  • Union accuses Formosa Interactive of hiring non-union actors to bypass ongoing videogame strike
  • Formosa allegedly transferred the game to a shell company for non-union talent
  • Riot Games denies involvement and claims no communication with Formosa on the matter

The Screen Actors Guild-American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (SAG-AFTRA) has called a strike against the popular online multiplayer game ‘League of Legends’ due to an ongoing dispute with audio company, Formosa Interactive. The union claims that Formosa attempted to hire non-union actors for an unrelated title during the videogame strike and then transferred the game to a shell company for non-union talent after realizing they couldn’t cancel it. Riot Games, the developer of ‘League of Legends’, denies any involvement in the issue and states that they have only worked with union performers since becoming a union project five years ago.

Factuality Level: 8
Factuality Justification: The article provides accurate and objective information about the dispute between SAG-AFTRA and Formosa Interactive, detailing the allegations made by the union against the company. It also includes statements from both sides of the conflict and explains the background of the issue. The reporting is focused on the main topic without any significant digressions or sensationalism.
Noise Level: 6
Noise Justification: The article provides relevant information about a labor dispute involving ‘League of Legends’ and its voiceover service provider, but it also includes some repetitive phrases and unnecessary details that could be shortened or removed without losing the main points. It does not offer much in terms of analysis or actionable insights.
Public Companies: Riot Games (N/A)
Private Companies: Formosa Interactive
Key People: Duncan Crabtree-Ireland (National Executive Director of SAG-AFTRA), Sarah Elmaleh (Interactive Media Agreement Negotiating Committee Chair)

Financial Relevance: Yes
Financial Markets Impacted: Riot Games, Formosa Interactive
Financial Rating Justification: The article discusses a labor dispute between SAG-AFTRA and Formosa Interactive, which impacts the financial markets as it involves Riot Games and Formosa Interactive, two companies in the gaming industry. The strike could potentially affect their revenue and operations.
Presence Of Extreme Event: No
Nature Of Extreme Event: Other
Impact Rating Of The Extreme Event: Minor
Extreme Rating Justification: There is no extreme event mentioned in the article. The situation described is a labor dispute between the actors’ union and an audio company, which may have some impact on the production of ‘League of Legends’, but it does not meet the criteria for an extreme event.
Move Size: No market move size mentioned.
Sector: Technology
Direction: Down
Magnitude: Large
Affected Instruments: Stocks

Reported publicly: www.marketwatch.com