A pair ofGenshin Impactvoice actors are claiming developer HoYoverse hasn’t provided proper compensation for several months of recorded dialogue. The release of HoYoverse’s flagship RPG in late 2020 saw the Chinese developer propelled into one of the biggest names in gaming, thanks to its monumental success. The developer would look to follow up the popularity of the gameset within the world of Teyvatwith its next game, seeing similar notoriety with the launch ofHonkai: Star Railearlier this year. Now, two of the members of the game’s voice cast are raising concerns with HoYoverse.Much ofGenshin Impact’s popularity over the nearly three-year span since its launch has been owed to the game’s diverse cast of characters. Some of the game’s most beloved characters like Hu Tao and Raiden Shogun have earned tens of millions for the developer during their limited gacha banners. The success ofGenshin Impacthas also seen boosts for much of its voice cast, with voice actors like Albedo’s Khoi Dao and Collei’s Dani Chambers becoming fan-favorites. Now, however, two ofGenshin Impact’s cast are claiming they haven’t received proper payment for their roles.RELATED:Genshin Impact Leak Reveals New Tighnari Voice ActorA pair of tweets from voice actors Brandon Winckler and Corina Boettger claim to have not received payments from HoYoverse, months after recording voice lines. Winckler, who voices several side roles including Kaedehara Kazuha’s friend, reveals he has tried five times to contact HoYoverse with no response after being owed payment for work from four months ago. Boettger,the voice ofGenshin Impact’s Paimon, claims to still be waiting for payments from December 2022 from the massive gacha developer. HoYoverse has not yet officially commented on either actor’s claims.
Within their posts, both voice actors heavily push for more unionization within the gaming industry for its employees. Unions have been a hot-button issue within gaming throughout recent years, with major studios like Blizzard andSega of America pushing unionization efforts. The movement, however, has often been met with opposition from the companies with several studios, including Nintendo and Activision, accused of “union busting.” Winckler also suggested he would not portray another role for HoYoverse without working with a union.
HoYoverse’s newest scandal comes asGenshin Impactis gearing up for its biggest event of the year next month. Version 4.0, currently expected to launch in mid-August, is set to bring with it the game’s fifth major explorable region with Fontaine’s debut. The update will also add atrio of new characters toGenshin Impactalongside several new mechanics like underwater exploration and combat. While many fans will be excited for the new update, the outcry from Winckler and Boettger continues to highlight shady practices within the gaming industry.
Genshin Impactis available now for PC, PS4, PS5, and mobile devices. A Switch version is in development.
