Mega Man 11 actor won't return for the next game in the series because Capcom refuses to work under a union contract

Veteran voice actor Ben Diskin, who provided the voice of Mega Man in the 2018 release Mega Man 11, says he won't be returning to the series because Capcom refuses to use unionized voice actors.Diskin isn't the original or only voice of Mega Man, but Mega Man 11 is both the most recent and best selling entry in the game series. That naturally made him the presumptive choice for the character in the upcoming Mega Man: Dual Override, which is expected out in 2027, and so his withdrawal comes as a surprise."With a broken Blue Bomber heart, I am no longer the voice of Mega Man," Diskin wrote today on Bluesky. "I was asked to return for Mega Man: Dual Override, but only on the condition I work without the protections of a union contract."I was told there are 'full AI protections in place that guarantee in writing that [my] voice will never be used for AI development' but was also told 'with certainty, from [Capcom], that the project will not go union'."Diskin's statement comes the day after the SAG-AFTRA union issued a "Do Not Work" order (via Rockman Corner) for Mega Man: Dual Override, saying Capcom "has failed to initiate the signatory process" that must be completed before the union will authorize its members to begin working on a project. The union warned that any members who do work on the game while the order is in place may face disciplinary action.The bigger issue for Diskin, though, is that while Capcom has promised that "AI protections" will be in place, there's no way for him, as an individual, to hold it to those terms."The only way to enforce non-union contracts like this involves personally taking giant companies like Capcom to court and suing if I thought they'd used AI. I don't have the mental, emotional, or monetary strength to survive a protracted legal fight," Diskin wrote."In my heart, I want to believe Capcom would never use AI... But in my HEAD, I'm aware that basically every major corporation is looking to incorporate generative AI to save money. The video game industry is facing record layoffs and huge amounts of uncertainty. I need a union contract to feel safe."The rise of generative AI, and its embrace by some game makers, is a real problem for voice actors, which is why it was such a huge sticking point in the nearly year-long voice actors strike that only fully concluded in July 2025. The union said after its members ratified the agreement that the new contract offers "important guardrails and gains around AI, including the requirement of informed consent across various AI uses and the ability for performers to suspend informed consent for digital replica use during a strike."Diskin referenced that strike in his announcement, writing, "I don't think it makes sense to strike for over 11 months to get enforceable AI abuse protections and then turn right around and go back to work without them." He also said he offered to work on a lower-budget contract if Capcom would agree to doing the game under the union, but it refused."It's been an honor voicing Mega Man in Mega Man 11, the best-selling game in the series' history and watching Mega Man reclaim his rightful place as a gaming icon," Diskin concluded. "I hope Mega Man: Dual Override is even more successful than 11 and that everyone enjoys all the hard work the devs are putting into it."