One of the major letdowns for players of Genshin Impact with the recent version 5.1 update has been the absence of English voice lines during the Archon Quest. Since a significant portion of the community prefers the English dub, this situation has notably impacted their gaming experience, prompting many to voice their frustrations on various social media platforms.
This article delves into the ongoing strike by Genshin Impact voice actors and its repercussions on players worldwide.
Impact of the SAG-AFTRA Voice Actors Strike on English Dubbed Characters
The ongoing SAG-AFTRA (Screen Actors Guild-American Federation of Television and Radio Artists) strike has raised important issues about the usage of artificial intelligence in the industry. Many voice actors, including those voicing Genshin Impact characters like Kachina and Kinich, played by Kristen McGuire and John Patneaude respectively, are part of this strike, advocating for their rights against unauthorized use of their voices by AI.
Although these characters feature voice lines in various languages, the English version lacks these crucial elements, leading players to rely solely on subtitles for understanding dialogues. This breaks the immersion, as players can enjoy voice acting in other parts yet are forced to read subtitles when characters without English voice lines speak.
While HoYoverse has apologized for this oversight concerning voice lines, it remains uncertain whether these lines will be added post-strike or if upcoming updates will be similarly affected.
Global Players Voice Discontent Over Voiceless Quests
Switched to from EN to JP Voice in Genshin due to the VA Strike, Now I’m Torn Between Both by u/SteamedDumplingX in Genshin_Impact
The absence of voice lines in the Archon Quest, which is central to the Genshin storyline, has left many players feeling disheartened. The lack of English voice lines disrupts the narrative flow, prompting some players to switch to the Japanese voice-over.
One Reddit user, u/SteamedDumplingX, shared their experience of switching from the English dub to the Japanese version due to the missing dialogues. They noted that although they relied on the English voice pack for its convenience, the missing lines have severely affected their gaming immersion. Their statement reflects this sentiment:
“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.”
Additionally, they mentioned enjoying the Japanese dub but feeling torn about reverting to the English version.
Others in the comments echoed similar sentiments, with several players indicating they too have opted for the Japanese, Chinese, or Korean dubs. For instance, u/DungeonEnvy stated that they would use the Chinese voice pack temporarily but plan to return to the English dub once the strike concludes, saying:
“I adore the EN cast. I’ll be swapping to the og CN cast for this event but swapping right back once I’m done.”
Conversely, some players, like u/Squildo, expressed a desire to stick with the English dub purely for familiarity:
“I started with EN and I’ll finish with EN.”
At this point, the resolution timeline for the strike remains unclear, leaving fans eager for updates and hoping for the return of normal voice lines in future quests.
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