Although the coronavirus pandemic has shuttered nearly all businesses, many remote workers are finding an increased number of opportunities. Feodor Chin, a voice actor who has his own home studio, has been busy doing voice-overs for audiobooks, animation, and video games.
Chin, who voiced the character Zenyatta in the hit game Overwatch, says the success of the game, which has generated over $2 billion dollars in sales, is tied to its diversity and inclusivity. Despite accusations of lack of representation, Chin believes that the gaming industry is becoming more progressive when it comes to casting.
Whitewashing has often been common in the gaming industry since most voice actors are never seen. However, Chin says the tide is changing with more actors of color being used in games. In other areas of the entertainment industry, like animation, several voice actors were replaced this spring following backlash from groups like Black Lives Matter. It remains to be seen if the gaming industry will follow suit.
Some of the most popular characters of color in games are voice by white actors. Such is the case with Kojo Agu (Halo 3: ODST), Kait Diaz (Gears series), Nadine Ross (Uncharted 4: A Thief’s End), Dudley (Super Street Fighter IV), and Kai Leng and Maya Brooks (Mass Effect 3).
Casting agents blame the timelines for the lack of diversity in the industry. Martin Vaughan, casting director at Side UK who has worked on the FIFA series, Assassin’s Creed Odyssey, and Assemble With Care, says that by the time he is usually brought on, “characters and storylines have been established, artwork has been created, and placeholder voices may have been used for the characters.”
In order to promote inclusiveness, some in the gaming industry are asking white voice actors to refuse roles that portray characters of color. “It’s important for white actors to take a step back and pass on auditions for characters of color so that those opportunities are going to the right people to begin with,” says actor Allegra Clark, who voices Azalea Clark in Fortnite.
In the end, voice actors believe that the demand will dictate the supply. Games like Overwatch and Mortal Kombat 11 have proven that diversity matters. The Last of Us Part II – in which Jesse, an Asian-American character, is voiced by Stephen Chang, an Asian-American actor – has also shown that change is possible if the gaming industry is willing to value authenticity over expediency.
Source: BayNews9
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