Why are all future human heroes American?

[Mackinator]

In most games why do the main characters talk with an American accent? The Halo games(with exception to Australians), Gears Of War, Dead Space, Mass Effect, Chronicles of Riddick the list goes on. Even the side characters talk, mostly, like Americans or with some sort of American lilt. I know alot of developers and publishers are American but goddamn can't we have the Russia equivelent of Master Chief.

It's like America conquers earth and makes everyone on earth American apart from the Australians who they deem worthy to go into space with them. I understand but it would be nice for some other English speaking heroes or even ones with strange accents.

No one knows what accent people have when living out of space and as an American accent is recognised worldwide, they use it?

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*Pewpew* - Master Chief on the Covenant -

 

[Harlemura]

They're probably not British as that accent's usually reserved for the bad guy.

 

[Travdelosmuertos]

I think a more important question to ask is, "Why does every video game hero look like Paul Walker?"

 

[Imat]

Because our lack of accent means that the main character can be understood by EVERYONE and the game won't have to be localized 20 different times.

Oh, and America is the largest single market for the games.

Lack of accent?? Only to yourselves!

Come on man, don't be that stupid.

Actually, he has a point...Since most English is taught with an American accent (Of which there are several, don't kid yourself on that), you could say that American English is without an accent. It's certainly not true, but it's taught mostly that way and so becomes general belief. But, I'm not so dense as to think I don't have an accent, nobody speaks English exactly as intended, nobody. Sorry England, your English is an accent now. But the main point is that it's taught mostly as Americanized English and therefore sounds like authentic (ie accentless) English.

 

[ontherisess]

Because our lack of accent means that the main character can be understood by EVERYONE and the game won't have to be localized 20 different times.

Oh, and America is the largest single market for the games.

I swear I'm going to make a game and find voice actors with the thickest southern drawl I can understand just to hear people around the world whine about not being able to understand them.
AND I'm not going to have an option for subtitles.

Since when did Americans not have an accent? 9/10 Americans have a very strong accent and the typical American accent is probably the hardest to understand out of any accent besides indians with very strong accents which are very rare.

 

[Deacon Cole]

In most games why do the main characters talk with an American accent?

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[llewgriff]

I want a FPS where all the characters are Welsh!

To right mate, one day we'll rise up and unite the world under the red dragon!

 

[Del-Toro]

Most of the companies that make/localize these games are American, and it's cheaper to get decent actors on your own turf than it is to import them from overseas. Done. What an asinine question.

 

[Librarian Mike]

I suppose one way of looking at this is that it's the same thing as how every fantasy or historical movie has to have English accents, regardless of cast or location. It's just become the standard.

 

[epicfailgamer]

Because we do conquer Earth eventually.

This just has to be said its people like you that are going to destroy this world.

I am British and to be perfectly honest it dose not matter that all the actors are American.

 

[TwistedEllipses]

I want a FPS where all the characters are Welsh!

To right mate, one day we'll rise up and unite the world under the red dragon!

Is it bad that when you said that I instantly imagined a team of Welsh heroes trained in the deadly martial arts taking on hoards of ninjas...

 

[TaborMallory]

Because most of them are made by Americans; therefore, by the rules of inherent narcissism in humans...

 

[fix-the-spade]

Because our lack of accent means that the main character can be understood by EVERYONE and the game won't have to be localized 20 different times.

Oh, and America is the largest single market for the games.

Wrong on both counts!

What difference does an accent make when you don't speak English?
Also, ever heard of a little place called China? If you ever think a country is the biggest market for something, see how many the Chinese buy... oh boy.

I think it's mostly to do with the where the devlopers come from and their egos. Ever notice how Joanna Dark was English in Perfect Dark, then after the M.Soft take over (and jumping ship of pretty much all of Rare) she's suddenly American. You'll find a lot of people try to re-weite anything so it stars people of their own nationality.

 

[Escapefromwhatever]

Because our lack of accent means that the main character can be understood by EVERYONE and the game won't have to be localized 20 different times.

Ugh. Do you realize that to British people, Canadian people, Australian people, Chinese people, and almost all non-Americans, we do have an accent? You might as well be a five-year-old child asking, "Mommy, how come everybody in the world has an accent except us?"

And yes, I do realize that some portions of America boast an "accentless" population, but those areas are relatively small, and the "lack of an accent" might as well be an accent, as it is a unique dialect.

 

[Wislong]

Because I doubt game developers / directors have visions of the entire world being controlled by the Nation of Estonia in the Near future.

 

[llewgriff]

I want a FPS where all the characters are Welsh!

To right mate, one day we'll rise up and unite the world under the red dragon!

Is it bad that when you said that I instantly imagined a team of Welsh heroes trained in the deadly martial arts taking on hoards of ninjas...

Do you have a problem where you confuse the word bad with freaking AWSOME!

 

[Sparrow]

Actually, whilst I'm not entirely behind the poster's views...

The American accent is fairly annoying. Every time Master Chief talked I just wanted to back hand him, and tell him to use Microsoft Sam. The smug alien killing robot-man.

I mean, everyone loved Captain Price. Loads of people love Niko Bellic...

Just change it up a bit.

 

[TwistedEllipses]

I want a FPS where all the characters are Welsh!

To right mate, one day we'll rise up and unite the world under the red dragon!

Is it bad that when you said that I instantly imagined a team of Welsh heroes trained in the deadly martial arts taking on hoards of ninjas...

Do you have a problem where you confuse the word bad with freaking AWSOME!

I think I might!

 

[SomeBritishDude]

Because Americans are the main client and most people believe that Americans can't relate to anyone but other Americans.

I have to say, give the guys a bit more credit. They're not [b/]that[/b] thick.

 

[Cucipher]

I dont care if they're American as long as they're not Space Marines,