The voice actor Ben Diskin, known for voicing Mega Man in the successful game Mega Man 11, has announced that he will not reprise the character in the upcoming title, Mega Man: Dual Override, scheduled for release in 2027.
His decision is based on Capcom’s refusal to employ voice actors under a union contract, which has raised concerns in the voice acting community about the growing use of artificial intelligence in the video game industry.
Capcom doesn’t want to know anything about unions
Diskin expressed his discontent through a message on Bluesky, where he confirmed that he had been contacted to participate in the new installment of the game, but only under the condition of working without the protections offered by a union contract.
Although Capcom assured that there would be “AI protections” in his contract, Diskin was skeptical and highlighted the lack of a way to enforce those promises without a formal agreement with the SAG-AFTRA union.
The SAG-AFTRA had recently issued a “Do Not Work” order for Mega Man: Dual Override, indicating that Capcom had not initiated the necessary process to formalize an agreement with the union.
This situation occurs in a broader context, where the rise of artificial intelligence in the creative field has been a focal point in recent union negotiations, seeking to protect voice actors from exploitation and unauthorized use of their work.
Despite his decision, Diskin wished success to the development team of Mega Man: Dual Override, acknowledging the effort involved in creating a video game. In his final statement, he reflected on the importance of having a contract that ensures adequate protections for the industry and its artists, even considering the possibility of accepting a lower budget agreement, which Capcom rejected.
