Voice actor Samantha Kelly discovered her 18-year tenure as Super Mario characters Princess Peach and Toad was over on the day that Mario Kart World was released — without her in it.
Lots of stretches there. Voice talent is more replaceable than on-camera talent, but not “completely expendable”.
I’m calling that a good thing. Having a working relationship with an actor is a thing, and I fully support good working conditions for VAs, but not being held to actors being the go/no-go talent for a whole project at all times is a noticeable improvement over the film industry, as far as I’m concerned.
Plus it’s such an anglocentric world, where English-speaking actors are the only ones that get work and a leg to stand on when it comes to negotiation. That entire business is VERY weird in gaming and it has a lot more nuance than a lot of people, particularly in the English-speaking world will give it credit for.
Lots of stretches there. Voice talent is more replaceable than on-camera talent, but not “completely expendable”.
I’m calling that a good thing. Having a working relationship with an actor is a thing, and I fully support good working conditions for VAs, but not being held to actors being the go/no-go talent for a whole project at all times is a noticeable improvement over the film industry, as far as I’m concerned.
Plus it’s such an anglocentric world, where English-speaking actors are the only ones that get work and a leg to stand on when it comes to negotiation. That entire business is VERY weird in gaming and it has a lot more nuance than a lot of people, particularly in the English-speaking world will give it credit for.