Voice acting in video games is different than in the past

One of the focus this year GamesBeat Summit women have been appearing in the gaming industry. This includes the literal female voices heard by the players: One of the panels was called “Women Acting in a Video Game.” The panel, moderated by Julia Bianco Schoeffling from Halp Network, featured three voice actors and focused on diversity, fairness and entering the world of voice acting.

All three panelists believe that the climate of the world of voice acting has changed. Although efforts are still being made to make the space more diverse and comprehensive, the industry as a whole is more diverse.

Diversity and inclusion

Jennifer Hale, best known for her work as Commander Shepard, Rivet and Bastila Sean, said she only had certain roles when she first took office. “It was phenomenal to watch the evolution of consciousness about how stories are told, how they are presented, and what is accessible to women. We just stopped being “girls” and became people in stories. We have become the main characters. “

Cissy Jones, best known for her role as Delilah in Firewatch and Fury in Darksiders 3, adds that the roles are more diverse. “While there used to be one woman and 20 boys, now there are more than one woman in a game.” Anjali Bhimani, best known for her roles as Rampart in Symmetra and Apex Legends on Overwatch, added that the industry is changing not only its gender diversity, but also its view of the past and personality. “We’re not just women, we’re all different … It’s felt that now everyone sees themselves in one way or another on the screen or in the game.”

However, Bhimani also stressed that casting can sometimes be a little harsh to defend diversity. “It seems to me that we’re all drawing a very fine line – not just in the games, but in the entertainment industry in general – that we’re all actors here, and we’re all playing something we don’t have. it was almost more pigeons. ”Hale called it a“ correction period ”for the casting.

Women’s experience in video game voice acting

One area in which the industry has agreed to use some of the work is to understand women’s vocal instruments. Jones noted that not all vocal cords are set up the same way, and it’s important for directors to understand how to best serve their actors. “It’s really scary to go into a session where I’m expected to scream over my lungs for two hours, but sometimes the actor will bleed in longer sessions with a director who doesn’t know how to take care of him. . ”

Another area where panelists felt the need for more progress was the role of actors in the storytelling process. Hale compared it to film and television, where creative people like actors will take part in the initial development of the script, which does not happen in the gaming industry. “It’s been a very technically oriented media for a long time, but now the story and the role of the character are very important … It’s all about cooperation, not competition.”