Update: Genshin Impact developer HoYoverse has issued a response to reports that some of its voice actors have gone months without being paid for their work.
In a statement to Eurogamer.net, a spokesperson said: "We truly regret to learn about the ongoing situation. Genshin Impact values and respects the work and effort of everyone involved, and we support our voice actors to claim their proper due. We have made payments to our recording studio on time, and we have immediately urged the studio to pay our voice actors. Meanwhile, we are also seeking alternative solutions. We will keep everyone posted on further developments."
Clearly recording studio Formosa Group is in hot water here, and could end up losing its likely lucrative contract with HoYoverse if this doesn't get resolved. Obviously this is a complicated time for acting talent, so it'll be interesting to see how this situation gets resolved.
Original Article: Genshin Impact is one of the world's biggest gaming properties, making insane profits with an addictive loop that managed to ensnare millions, with even Push Square's own Sammy Barker succumbing to its siren song. Now, multiple voice actors are claiming they are owed thousands for unpaid work completed months ago. The issue, it's alleged, lies not with developer HoYoverse, but instead with Formosa Group, the audio studio responsible for the title's English dub.
As reported by TheGamer, Brandon Winckler was fed up after waiting what was described as more than three months for payment on "literally the BIGGEST video game project out there". He got the ball rolling and quickly gained support from both the fan community as well as other actors. Winkler is an established voice actor with a list of credits across both games and anime, appearing in Final Fantasy VII Remake, Disgaea 6, and Vinland Saga, to name a few.
Corina Boettger, who voices the protagonist's companion Paimon (and thus has thousands of lines in the ever-expanding game), joined Winckler in this, claiming to still be waiting for payment on work done back in December of 2022. Boettgerr and Winckler both called for fans within the Genshin Impact community to support an effort to "make the game SAG" (join the SAG-AFTRA union), making their feelings known to miHoYo.
The entertainment has been in turmoil ever since the WGA put the screws to Hollywood last month, with all your favourite film and TV stars joining them overnight. Stand up for yourself in the comments section below.
[source twitter.com, via thegamer.com]
Comments 15
How is a SAG actor working on a non-SAG project?
They should absolutely be paid but if the call is to make the project a union one then only union actors can work on it, and if you're working on it now when it's non-union then you're not a union actor, so...? Is it different for voice acting?
I think mihoyo didn't want anything to do with union, they rather pay the va directly rather than nearing that sag problem.
I’d have thought the voice cast would have all been too young to be legally employed in the first place
That’s BS if true…and likely is!
So silly when they make so much money. Just pay your people on time.
@kyleforrester87 They spared almost no expense on voice acting, and not just in one language, across ALL languages. Literally hundreds of known VAs in the game. While it may not be your absolute top tier household name voice actors like Jennifer Hale, Troy Baker etc. there are many you would recognise e.g. Yuri Lowenthal (Spider-man, Prince of Persia).
And anyone that's seen any anime in the last decade will recognise most of the voices. The cast is impressive.
@WhensDinner animation and videogames are not covered by the Screen Actors Guild collective contract. This means that any actor can do whatever they want in these two fields of work. But it also means that, even if SAG is on strike right now, if you have a contract to do animation or VG voice acting you have to honor it.
Just like, for example, an American actor currently working on a British tv series cannot leave the set to go on strike, because the SAG contract they're striking against does not cover what they're doing.
@Arasumian Not necessarily, it all depends on the contract. Equity (the British actors union) is trying to support SAG as much as possible. Regarding your last example that is.
Sure, it depends if the contract is SAG sanctioned or not. I was generalizing.
In any case, animation and videogames are not acting jobs "covered" by SAG. American animation has a different union, while VG has none, as far as I know.
"Corina Boettger, who voices the protagonist's companion Paimon (and thus has thousands of lines in the ever-expanding game)" and the protagonist is silent except on extremely rare occasions. Paimon is essentially the main character's voice.
Just rotten. I hope these people get their money asap.
Insane to see how much the execs are taking advantage of the actual talent in the industry. And now their tactic is literally to starve out the strikers, openly saying that they aim to make them lose their houses.
Had a feeling this wasn't on HoYoverse. I guess this is what happens when you put an extra layer between yourself and the talent.
I’m honestly surprised they responded at all. Even when the allegations don’t directly target the company behind the franchise, I usually see them stay quiet and give typical “no comment” shtick. Sounds like they at least understand that their cash cow doesn’t exist without these people, so hopefully this gets resolved. Formosa would be wise to pay up, unless this is more complicated and Hoyoverse underpaid the firm. Will keep an eye on this one.
Brave of the actors to stand up for themselves and publicly speak out for their pay. Hopefully it doesn’t reflect poorly on their credibility in the industry, I’d hate to see them become uncastable in the future for speaking up about abuse.
@wiiware My boss does the same if we get above a certain amount of workers they need to get collective employment agreement.
So what do they do they give people a little extra and now they want a 5 shift setup but because we don't have so many people we will probably loose a lot of weekends.
The most annoying part i asked to give me the new roster so I can see if I want to stay. But the response is we are going to talk to everyone one on one and I know why so they can pressure the people with less options.
Money is important but my social life also is important I don't want to life to work. I work so I can life. I don't mind working hard but it's not all i want to do.
And it's really annoying to see the companies that make so much money and say yeah we outsourced it so it's not out fault. I hope the workers will unite it's so important to fight for your rights.
The latest update is it's not mihoyo fault, they already pay the company that the va works for, so it's that company fault that the va didn't get pay ontime.
The va is at fault here making it seems it's mihoyo that didn't pay them, remind me of bayonetta 3 drama, although not as bad.
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