SAG-AFTRA’s announcement

On Tuesday, SAG-AFTRA announced that it struck a deal with Replica Studios to make it easier for actors to license their voice in video games. What it didn’t do was inform the actors it’s supposed to represent that this deal was happening.

For those who don’t know, SAG-AFTRA is a union that not only represents TV and movie actors. They represent a lot of the voiceover talent you hear in animation and videogames. These voice actors had even authorized a strike in September 2023, although no strike happened. One of the things they were going after for that strike was concerns over AI.

All of that seemed to have fallen by the wayside. The powers-that-be in the union as SAG-AFTRA went for the deal. It looks like the deal was made in the best interest of the union and its members. However, the point is moot if it wasn’t really talked over by the members themselves.

Actors’ reactions

Once the news got out that this had happened, affected actors expressed their concerns.

Backlash

Since the backlash on Tuesday, SAG-AFTRA and Replica Studios have been sharing more about the agreement. This includes the contract in question. They also released an FAQ. In it, they clarify what they meant in their initial press release. What was initially approved by “affected members of the union’s voiceover performer community” actually meant it was done by the union’s Interactive Media Negotiating Committee.

To be honest, SAG-AFTRA is being really messy here and I can’t help but think that the gaming industry is playing second fiddle here. As gaming is starting to take a lot of eyes and wallets away from TV and movies, it feels like SAG-AFTRA might be showing some true colors here. I feel that all of this should have been discussed with the union before announcements were made.

Union members shouldn’t be left outside the room where it happened.

Source: Engadget, VG247, Gamespot

The post SAG-AFTRA struck deal for AI voice acting and didn’t tell the actors appeared first on Desk Chair Analysts.

Anyway, at CES 2024, MSI has decided to enter the arena of handheld gaming PCs. Monday, we saw the announcement of the MSI Claw A1M. At first glance, the device looks like a colorway Asus ROG Ally. The device runs Windows 11. It has the same type of button layout. There is RGB lighting around the thumbsticks. But there’s more. The buttons also light up!

Okay, there actually is one big change to MSI’s handheld that we have yet to see in others. This one is actually running Intel inside. Other handhelds have been using AMD’s Ryzen APUs to power their devices. MSI decided to partner with Intel to use their new Core Ultra processors and integrated Arc graphics.

The Claw will be running a Core Ultra 5 CPU in its base model or an Ultra 7 in the premium version. You’re looking at 16GB of DDR5 memory. Storage can go up to 1TB via an upgradeable PCIe Gen4 M.2 slot. And of course you can get more storage via MicroUSB and Thunderbolt 4. Also, with Thunderbolt 4, your display options grow.

For the internal display, The Claw has a 7-inch IPS LCD display with 120Hz refresh rate. The controller layout is similar to the Xbox controllers with no touch pads. There are two extra triggers on the back, two less than what the Steam Deck offers. The speakers are also front facing to make sure your hands are obscuring the sound.

MSI has also packed a 53 watt-hour battery in The Claw. For comparison, the Steam Deck only has a 40Wh battery. The Lenovo Legion Go has a 49.2Wh. This should give it better battery life than the ROG Ally and Legion Go. I think it would give the Steam Deck a run for its money, too. That is if everything is tuned properly.

Of course, The Claw also comes with a launcher system to help you get into your games quickly instead of fumbling around with the Windows 11 desktop. However, MSI wanted to do more. This is why they have added BlueStacks, the Android emulator, and the Google Play Store to the device. Now you can play mobile games that aren’t available for PC on the device. I don’t know of many Android games I’d like to play, but I wish I had that access on the Steam Deck.

You can get the MSI Claw A1M starting in February. It will start at $699.

Are you picking one up?

The post MSI is giving us THE CLAW with Intel inside appeared first on Desk Chair Analysts.