adminThe SAG-AFTRA Do Not Work Order involving Capcom’s upcoming game Mega Man: Dual Override instructs union members not to provide acting services for the production until the union says otherwise. The action follows a dispute over whether the game would enter SAG-AFTRA’s signatory process, and it affects voice actor Ben Diskin’s ability to return as Mega Man.
Image credit: Capcom
Why SAG-AFTRA issued a Do Not Work Order
SAG-AFTRA, the union representing 160,000 actors, voiceover artists, and other media professionals, said the producer of Mega Man: Dual Override had not started the process required to become a signatory. The union’s instruction tells its members to withhold acting services and other covered work on the production until further notice.
A Do Not Work Order is an instruction to union members about work on a specific production. It does not, by itself, mean a game has been canceled or that non-union performers cannot work on it. The practical effect for a performer depends on their union membership and the production’s arrangements.
Ben Diskin explains why he cannot return as Mega Man
Diskin, who voiced Mega Man in Mega Man 11, said on BlueSky that he had been asked to reprise the role for Mega Man: Dual Override, but only without a union contract. He said he was told that written protections would prevent his voice from being used to develop artificial intelligence, while also being told the project would not become unionized.
Diskin explained that he did not consider a non-union agreement sufficiently enforceable for his circumstances. In his view, challenging a large company over alleged misuse of a voice could require an individual performer to undertake a costly, lengthy legal case. He also pointed to uncertainty in the video game industry, including layoffs, as a reason he wanted the safeguards of a union contract.
He added that he would have considered a lower-budget union agreement, saying that his decision was not primarily about compensation. Diskin described voicing Mega Man in Mega Man 11 as an honor and noted that the game became the best-selling entry in the series’ history.
How the dispute fits into SAG-AFTRA’s game industry action
The disagreement comes amid wider negotiations between SAG-AFTRA and video game companies over performer protections, including concerns connected to the industry’s use of artificial intelligence. The union voted to strike in July 2024 after negotiations with the video game bargaining group failed to resolve key issues.
In March 2025, SAG-AFTRA said it remained far apart from video game publishers. That month, two voice actors from Zenless Zone Zero said they had been replaced after taking part in the union strikes. SAG-AFTRA ended its industrial action in June 2025, after 11 months, but the dispute over protections remains relevant to individual productions.
What the order means for Mega Man: Dual Override
The union’s notice means SAG-AFTRA members are instructed not to perform covered work on Mega Man: Dual Override unless the union changes its direction. The notice does not establish whether Capcom will begin the signatory process, whether another performer will take the role, or whether the game’s release plans will change.
For readers following the SAG-AFTRA Do Not Work Order, the key issue is the production’s union status and the protections available to performers—not a confirmed cancellation or release delay. Any change to the union’s instruction or the game’s production arrangements would be needed to clarify what happens next.
