Why are all future human heroes American?

[Yossarian90]

A couple reasons.

- Most of these games you're complaining about are made in America. Where's the first place the developers are going to look for voice actors? You guessed it- America! Is 2K Boston supposed to fly someone out to Glasgow or Nice or Cape Town for voice auditions? That costs money, and in case you haven't noticed, the industry as a whole is having a bit of trouble with cash these days. Besides, has anyone here played Far Cry 2? I've yet to see a character who speaks in American English, and half the enemies speak Afrikkans. And what about Onimusha 3? It has Jean Reno! How much more French can you get?!

- Putting characters with "foreign" accents in games is almost always complained about by citizens who live where the character supposedly hails from. For example, I remember several Australians griping that the accent of TF2's Sniper was "generic" and somehow insulting. And of course, there's people who'll whine if a character comes with a regional accent that they don't like. (Really, we Americans are guilty of that with our own, too- New York accents seem to be just peachy, but Southern or New England accents? Almost never heard, except as parody.)

Should I start complaining about the lack of Americans in Doctor Who or Red Dwarf?

As I have said before, Im not complaining I am merely making an observation

 

[oliveira8]

And what about Onimusha 3? It has Jean Reno! How much more French can you get?!

Jean Reno got dubbed..............................when he wasnt speaking french..........silly capcom!

 

[PedroSteckecilo]

But theres plenty of Japanese game companies that hire Americans to do the voice acting...

And they hire American Voice Actors because they're localizing said games for American Release. In Japan they use *gasp* Japanese Voice Actors!

Also alot of games are actually voiced out of Vancouver (here in Canada) or so I hear.

 

[SsilverR]

Altair from assasins creed and his descendant are arabs

 

[SsilverR]

Altair from assasins creed and his descendant are arabs

 

[PedroSteckecilo]

And what about Onimusha 3? It has Jean Reno! How much more French can you get?!

Jean Reno got dubbed..............................when he wasnt speaking french..........silly capcom!

Yes he was dubbed... by Jean Reno, since, you know, he speaks pretty good French Accented English.

 

[Lexodus]

The heroes of most games are American, because Americans are amazing. Every single one is brilliant, cultured, tough-as-nails, and capable of slaughtering hordes of invading aliens with nothing more than a toothpick, a paperclip and 27 cents.

I like it. I think that might be the most solid statement yet....Unfortunately, I only have 25 cents and a sharpie, so It will be a close battle...

You win the internet!

 

[Lexodus]

He has a very valid point, i get so frustrated when its "a single american fighting the impossible but still wins" also in films "an american is the smartest man "an american is the most awesome man" "an american..." GAHH, the list doesn't stop. America you are not worth of such things, i don't see you inventing any REALLY important inventions, i don't remember YOU having important war heros or any war heros at all.
Real life scenario - america trying to take over world. Hero's - English, Russians, Japanese, French...(bahahahah, sorry i can't keep a straight face on that).

That is reality.

(Then again, English would probably join the americans, and so i would have to team kill...meh)

Hey, the French invented the automocar. That's the only thing that stops me from hating them completely.

 

[Yossarian90]

The heroes of most games are American, because Americans are amazing. Every single one is brilliant, cultured, tough-as-nails, and capable of slaughtering hordes of invading aliens with nothing more than a toothpick, a paperclip and 27 cents.

I like it. I think that might be the most solid statement yet....Unfortunately, I only have 25 cents and a sharpie, so It will be a close battle...

You win the internet!

Yes and everyday an American kills a terrorist and or communist all from the age of six

 

[Hawgh]

The developers are located on the American continent, and as such, they hire american voice-actors?

 

[Nihilex]

People don't seem to be upset about the fact that American made television shows star AMERICANS just as shows on BBC star BRITISH people movies from Bollywood have INDIANS in them. I don't recall hearing about ancient Egyptians creating hieroglyphs of Native Americans or British people. Why would video games be any different? The point is we tell our own stories, if you wanna tell one about your country go ahead and make a movie/video game about it. Until then quit your bitching.

 

[oliveira8]

And what about Onimusha 3? It has Jean Reno! How much more French can you get?!

Jean Reno got dubbed..............................when he wasnt speaking french..........silly capcom!

Yes he was dubbed... by Jean Reno, since, you know, he speaks pretty good French Accented English.

No he was not.

The english voice of Jean Reno was by Paul Mercier, Jean Reno doesn't speak the perfect english he does in OM3.

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0363858/

 

[Lexodus]

The heroes of most games are American, because Americans are amazing. Every single one is brilliant, cultured, tough-as-nails, and capable of slaughtering hordes of invading aliens with nothing more than a toothpick, a paperclip and 27 cents.

I like it. I think that might be the most solid statement yet....Unfortunately, I only have 25 cents and a sharpie, so It will be a close battle...

You win the internet!

Yes and everyday an American kills a terrorist and or communist all from the age of six

IT WAS FUNNY.

 

[DrScoobs]

because the target audience is american and americans like america

 

[Desaari]

It would help to see a bit of variety.

I guess the usual answer is something along the lines of "America is the largest market for games, and Americans want to see American heroes in their games".

The worst offence for me is WW2 games, which tend to get a little "saving private ryan" where those of us from Europe wonder where all the British, French, Polish etc. are (for the Allies).

I agree with this completely: Either the games are made in the U.S. or are made with the U.S. as the target audience. For this I can forgive them, and put up with their accents in games.

What does irk me is when U.S. media attempt to re-write history (see: U-571, for example) which is more a problem in films than games. Though, for all the WWII games there are you wouldn't think there were any other beach invasions in "Operation Overlord" than "Omaha" beach, or even that any country other than the U.S. were responsible for "V.E." (Victory in Europe).

Games are getting better in this context at least. Games like GTA4, Battlefield 2142, Fable, and more that I can't be arsed to research, have implemented different accents. Even Velvet Assassin has the Germans speaking German and (I assume having not played the game) the protaganist speaks with some form of British accent.

/rant

P.S.
this made me lol:

I love the Fable voice actors for their Britishness. Especially the first game with the guy asking you to watch the barn. My dad heard and just yelled "Don't trust 'im! He's a scouser!"

 

[murphy7801]

america only cares about america its one of the most self obsessed countries in the world

 

[Lazzi]

Because Americans MAKE the games. Oddly enough it means that it's easier to get American voice actors.

This guy is on to something!

But seriously, its that basic. If your game is going to be in a future were there are none of the modern nationalities then the ceveloper will simply get voice acters from the nation/region they currently reside in.

 

[Spirultima]

He has a very valid point, i get so frustrated when its "a single american fighting the impossible but still wins" also in films "an american is the smartest man "an american is the most awesome man" "an american..." GAHH, the list doesn't stop. America you are not worth of such things, i don't see you inventing any REALLY important inventions, i don't remember YOU having important war heros or any war heros at all.
Real life scenario - america trying to take over world. Hero's - English, Russians, Japanese, French...(bahahahah, sorry i can't keep a straight face on that).

That is reality.

(Then again, English would probably join the americans, and so i would have to team kill...meh)

Hey, the French invented the automocar. That's the only thing that stops me from hating them completely.

There are only 2 French people i like

1. Jean Reno

2. Some French resistance member from WWII, he was clinically insane, he ran up to a tank put in a (non-live) grenade down the barrel, ran like hell, tank go, bye bye. Ironically enough he was KIA by an Anti-Tank shell. S'cus me while i laugh at the irony of that.

 

[untelligence]

an american hero is a stereotype and if someone of a different culture was a featured superhero he/she may not end up to be very popular because some will see it as "too different"

 

[AbsoluteVirtue18]

Because if the world ends, as it does in most futures, we probably caused it. It's only fair that we fix it.