Celebrity Voice Actors

[Screenager]

Do you think that having a celebrity voice in a game helps boost sales of a game?
Are the game companies just wasting their money on hiring voice actors?
Basically what im asking is, are celebrities in games needed or can a new actor do the job just as well?

Here is some examples for those who can't remember any :
Liam Neeson in Fallout 3
Patrick Stewart in Oblivion
Samuel L. Jackson in San Andreas

 

[goatzilla8463]

Ben Stiller should do Master Chief's voice.

It would make me laugh.

 

[Fireproof217]

First of all, if a game company is going to cast a big name in their game, it should be for a rather substantial role. All three of the parts that you referenced in your post were relatively small (Jackson was a little larger). I do believe that it does boost sales of a game when some gamers find out that Captain Jean-Luc Picard is in Oblivion, however its not needed. If you can find a voice actor who will do a credible job, than who needs a big name? The problem with that is that there are so many examples of no-name voice actors who have done particularly bad jobs.

So I think game companies should go after talent before fame, however fame might still sell more.

 

[squid5580]

It may help boost a few sales but more often than not it seems the budget goes to the actors and not invested into the game.

 

[D_987]

First of all, if a game company is going to cast a big name in their game, it should be for a rather substantial role. All three of the parts that you referenced in your post were relatively small (Jackson was a little larger). I do believe that it does boost sales of a game when some gamers find out that Captain Jean-Luc Picard is in Oblivion, however its not needed. If you can find a voice actor who will do a credible job, than who needs a big name? The problem with that is that there are so many examples of no-name voice actors who have done particularly bad jobs.

So I think game companies should go after talent before fame, however fame might still sell more.

Yet there are a large number of actors that are famous due to their talent. I realize there are some Megan Foxes out there - those that have no talent but will earn millions because she's what people claim is "attractive". Yet the majority of big names are there for a reason; so I feel the two, "fame" and "talent" generally go hand in hand.

 

[benwins]

Celebrity voice aren't essential and they probably don't boost the sales much/at all. but there's no real reason they shouldn't. as long they do it well.

Ron Perlman and Mark Hamill are always fun

 

[Soxafloppin]

IT wouldnt encourage me to buy the game lol but it would be cool.

 

[Screenager]

But i mean, would everyone be happy if they spent more money on the actual game and less on the voice actors?

 

[Radeonx]

First of all, if a game company is going to cast a big name in their game, it should be for a rather substantial role. All three of the parts that you referenced in your post were relatively small (Jackson was a little larger). I do believe that it does boost sales of a game when some gamers find out that Captain Jean-Luc Picard is in Oblivion, however its not needed. If you can find a voice actor who will do a credible job, than who needs a big name? The problem with that is that there are so many examples of no-name voice actors who have done particularly bad jobs.

So I think game companies should go after talent before fame, however fame might still sell more.

Kiefer Sutherland Did Sgt. Roebuck in the Call of Duty: World at War campaign mode. That was kind of a substantial role.
As for me, as long as the voice acting in these games is actually good, I don't care who does it.

 

[Merteg]

I played a game where the company spent all their money on a famous person and the game had horrible graphics and bad game play.

Can't remember the game.

 

[wastedyouth89]

I don't think celebrity voices really boost a game's sales. However it definitely gives you some entertainment. Who doesn't love hearing the guys from Red Vs. Blue doing Halo 3 voices or Mike Patton Playing the angry ball in Portal

 

[Andy_Panthro]

No need for celebs at all.

I find it hard to understand why someone would buy a game based on one voice actor anyway.

Obviously Bethesda think it's a good idea though, but I would rather they spent that money on actual gameplay-relevant details, i.e. more bug fixes, better animations, whatever.

 

[Lono Shrugged]

I think a celebrity voice can really work if it's a naturally good voice actor in the right role. The best example I can think of is Michael Ironside for Sam Fischer. He brought an awful lot to what is a pretty basic character. You could also argue any half decent voice actor could have done the same job but I still get a kick out of playing as Gravel McGravelson.

On the other hand celeb voice acting can be so very bad. Toby McGuire in Spider-man or Michael Caine in Batman Begins. I can just picture them with a script in one hand and cup of coffee in the other just rattling through it.

 

[Darth Pope]

I really don't care as long as the voice actor fits the part.

 

[scnj]

I don't think celebrity voices really boost a game's sales. However it definitely gives you some entertainment. Who doesn't love hearing the guys from Red Vs. Blue doing Halo 3 voices or Mike Patton Playing the angry ball in Portal

Mike Patton was also the voice of The Darkness in The Darkness.

Armin Shimerman from Star Trek Deep Space Nine was Andrew Ryan in Bioshock.
Lance Henriksen (Aliens), Keith David (Pitch Black), and Seth Green (Austin Powers) were in Mass Effect.
Keith David was also in Halo 2 and 3, and Saints Row 1 and 2.
David Duchovny and Marilyn Manson were in Area 51.
John Di Maggio (Bender from Futurama) was Marcus Fenix in Gears of War.
Greg Grunberg (Matt from Heroes) was Ethan Thomas in the first Condemned.
David Hayter (writer of X-Men and Watchmen) was Solid Snake in the MGS games.
Michael Ironside (Rasczak in Starship Troopers) is Sam Fisher in Splinter Cell.

While she's not a celebrity I'd also like to mention Jennifer Hale while I'm here. She's lent her voice to dozens of games (Metal Gear Solid, Mass Effect, Metroid Prime, Syphon Filter, Killer7, KOTOR etc) and I've yet to hear a bad performance from her.

 

[DM.]

Samuel Jackson and Neil Flynn being the announcers for Madworld would have been funny.

 

[About To Crash]

It might boost sales, but I think it does a good job of bringing the voice acting to attention. A lot of people don't consider the voice acting in a game unless it's atrocious, but actors like Elijah Wood in Spyro's new games, and Liam Neeson in Fallout 3 do a wonderful job at voice acting and get gamers to pay attention to it.

 

[Julianking93]

Liam Neeson and Patrick Stewart can make me buy anything

 

[Fat Hippo]

Depends on wether I like the actor or not. Then it might boost the sales by just one. Otherwise, probably not that much. But it can never hurt to get more publicity for your game so it can start rolling in the great machine of hype!