PDA

View Full Version : Hollywood Actors in Video Games



J2games
07-01-2005, 09:30 AM
I was reading an article this morning about Hollywood actors in video games and them voting on a new contract which would increase the pay they receive for the work they do (article clip attached below.)

It got me to thinking, "Do I really care if the games contains a Hollywood Star likeness? or Voice?"

And honestly, I don't! Not if it will make the cost of the games more expensive. Or having the Hollywood type is just a smokescreen for another crappy game!

What happened to spending money on important things like gameplay, graphics, storyline... maybe I'm truely just an oldschool gamer. PacMan didn't need voiceovers by someone famous to make it a great game. Neither did 100's of other games.

Do you think we should care about actors in our games? Does it actually add anything to the game itself? Or is it just another step further down the path of advertising IN, ON and Around the games we play?

I'd be curious to hear others opinions.

J2Games.com

"LOS ANGELES - Actors who provide voices for video game characters will vote on whether to accept a new contract with producers that increases wages but does not pay residuals on the most popular games.

The Screen Actors Guild national board voted Wednesday to hold a referendum on the contract, which was previously rejected by its executive committee. Ballots will be mailed to the approximately 1,900 SAG members who work in video games.

Actors currently are paid a minimum of $556 per four-hour work session and are often required to voice more than one character per session. The new 3 1/2-year agreement would increase the rate to $759 by 2008, with an immediate 25 percent increase to $695."

Daria
07-01-2005, 09:38 AM
I think you misread the article. It doesn't mention increasing wages to attract big names. It's just wants to pay the guys (and gals) who do provide the voices more money.

Unless you're saying you'd rather the publishers/developers save money by not using voice acting at all.

esquire
07-01-2005, 09:46 AM
I don't know, I think using the original actors' voices from the Lord of the Rings Trilogy really added to the enjoyment of the games.

Rogmeister
07-01-2005, 10:58 AM
I think Blasto was an ordinary game but felt that Phil Hartman did add a lot to it. It probably depends on the actor and the style of game. I like the funny commentator on Outlaw Golf and certain other sports announcers which I guess fall into this area. I've read also that Sean Connery and Clint Eastwood will provide voices for game versions of From Russia With Love (the 2nd James Bond film) and Dirty Harry so the superstars will always sell a lot of games. Borderline stars I'm not so sure of. I'm not sure how much these effect prices...maybe not a lot if any. After all, we didn't pay more for the Lord of the Rings games than others, did we?

Haoie
07-01-2005, 08:19 PM
Ah, let's not forget Bruce Willis in Apocalypse.

Incidentally, I don't think that was an actual movie.

Slimedog
07-01-2005, 08:36 PM
I find that if the game is based on a movie or tv series, the voices from the actual actors really do help draw me in. It really is distracting when the talking starts and my mind has to line up the new voice with a familiar character. That being said, I really do prefer professional voice actors over big name celebs for games that don't have a movie or tv counterpart. I feel that a lot of times, conventional actors either don't take voice roles as seriously or aren't as familiar with acting without the visual component. I thought the aforementioned Bruce Willis in Apocalypse really didn't add much to the game. God knows Henry Rollins couldn't save or even help Mace Griffin. The best voice roles in games (think RPGs mostly) have all belonged to professional voice actors.

Berserker
07-01-2005, 08:53 PM
There's a thread on this already in progress:

http://www.digitpress.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=61732