Mega Man 11 Voice Actor Ben Diskin Exits Series Amid Union Dispute with Capcom

Ben Diskin, the seasoned voice actor behind Mega Man in the critically acclaimed 2018 title, Mega Man 11, has announced his departure from the series. His decision stems from Capcom's unwillingness to engage unionized voice talent. While Diskin isn't the sole or original voice of the iconic character, Mega Man 11 stands as the franchise's most recent and highest-selling installment. This success positioned him as the likely candidate for the role in the anticipated 2027 release, Mega Man: Dual Override, making his exit unexpected.

On Bluesky, Diskin shared his regret: "With a broken Blue Bomber heart, I am no longer the voice of Mega Man." He revealed that despite being invited to reprise his role for Mega Man: Dual Override, the offer came with the stipulation that he forgo the safeguards of a union contract. Diskin explained, "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 announcement closely followed a "Do Not Work" order issued by the SAG-AFTRA union concerning Mega Man: Dual Override. The union stated that Capcom "has failed to initiate the signatory process," a mandatory step before union members can be authorized to commence work. SAG-AFTRA cautioned that any of its members who proceed with working on the game while this order is active could face disciplinary measures.

For Diskin, the primary concern lies in the enforceability of Capcom's promised "AI protections" within a non-union context. He elaborated, "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 expressed his internal conflict, stating, "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 increasing adoption of generative AI by certain game developers poses a significant threat to voice actors' livelihoods. This issue was a central point of contention during the nearly year-long voice actors' strike, which concluded in July 2025. Following the ratification of the agreement by its members, the union highlighted that the new contract establishes "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 also drew a parallel to the recent strike in his statement, remarking, "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 further disclosed that he proposed accepting a lower-budget contract if Capcom would agree to unionize the project, an offer which was rejected by the company.

Diskin concluded his message by stating, "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." He expressed his hopes for the upcoming title, adding, "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."