Genshin Impact Players Express Discontent Over English Voice Actor Strike Resulting in Unvoiced Characters in New Quests

For numerous players of Genshin Impact, one of the most frustrating elements of the latest version 5.1 has been the absence of English voice lines in the Archon Quest. Given that a significant portion of the community utilizes the EN dub, this lack of voice work has detracted from their overall experience, prompting many to take to social media to voice their dissatisfaction.

This article delves into the ongoing Genshin Impact voice actor strike and its implications for the player community.

SAG-AFTRA Strike Affects English Voice Work for Genshin Impact Characters

Amid rising concerns about artificial intelligence in the creative industries, many artists are currently involved in a strike led by SAG-AFTRA (Screen Actors Guild-American Federation of Television and Radio Artists). They are pressing for safeguards against the unauthorized use of their voices by AI, which affects several voice actors for Genshin Impact, including those portraying key characters like Kachina and Kinich, voiced by Kristen McGuire and John Patneaude, respectively.

While these characters have been voiced in other languages, players of the English version must rely solely on subtitles to comprehend their dialogue. This situation creates a noticeable disconnection as players can follow the audio but then have to shift to reading when encountering characters lacking English voice lines.

Although HoYoverse has apologized for the absence of English voice work, it remains uncertain if these lines will be incorporated into quests once the SAG-AFTRA strike concludes. Additionally, the potential impact of the strike on future quests is still unknown.

Disappointment among Global Genshin Impact Fans over Voiced Quests

Switched to from EN to JP Voice in Genshin due to the VA Strike, Now I’m Torn Between Both byu/SteamedDumplingX inGenshin_Impact

Understandably, many players feel let down by the absence of voice lines during the Archon Quest, which is a pivotal part of the overall narrative in Genshin Impact. Players have indicated that the lack of English dialogue undermines their immersion in the story. As a result, some individuals have opted to switch the language of their voiceover entirely.

A Reddit user, u/SteamedDumplingX, shared their experience of transitioning to the Japanese dub from the English version due to the unavailability of dialogues. They mentioned that they had chosen the English voice pack since they began playing, valuing the convenience it offered. However, the recent patch, reflecting the voice actor strike, led to a noticeable drop in their psychological engagement with the game. They stated:

“I’ve been using the English voiceover since I started playing Genshin. It’s super convenient because I can easily follow the story without needing to rely on subtitles, which helps keep me immersed. But with the recent patch, due to the voice actor strike, some main story voice lines are missing in the English version, and that’s been a huge blow to my overall immersion. So, I decided to give the Japanese voice acting a try, and now I’m not sure if I want to switch back.”

The same player also noted their enjoyment of the Japanese voice acting, expressing uncertainty about returning to the English version.

Many users in the comment section suggested they too had transitioned to the Japanese, Chinese, or Korean dubs. One user, u/DungeonEnvy, mentioned they would temporarily use the Chinese voice pack during this situation but planned to revert back to English once the strike is resolved, saying:

“I adore the EN cast. I’ll be swapping to the original CN cast for this event but swapping right back once I’m done.”

Conversely, other users such as u/Squildo mentioned their intent to stick with the English dub for the sake of consistency:

“I started with EN and I’ll finish with EN.”

At this point, the timeline for the strike’s resolution and a return to normalcy remains unclear. Fans are encouraged to stay tuned for updates regarding the situation.

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