5 Expert Tips For Your Next Video Game Voice Over Project

A lot of work goes on behind the scenes to make video and mobile games feel local, and you might not know where to start. One of the most important aspects of an immersive gameplay experience is localized voice-overs. Here’s how to do them the right way.

Video games have come a long way since the beeps and boops of the 1980s. Today’s PC, console, and mobile games offer immersive experiences, many jam-packed with cinematic cutscenes, character dialogues, and other voice-overs that walk players through gameplay mechanics or punctuate the frenetic action. And whereas decades ago, localization was limited to on-screen text and user manuals, today’s savvy game publishers realize that localizing these voice-overs video game characters for their biggest markets is worth the investment. Gaming, after all, is a truly global industry, which according to Mordor Intelligence studies is projected to reach $256 billion by 2025.

Video Game Voice Over

Video game voice acting, in simple terms, involves voice actors performing lines for characters, with the recordings integrated into the game to be triggered during specific actions like cut-scenes or interactions. This adds a human voice element to games, often with dramatic acting.

Voice actors are the professionals responsible for voice-overs, and some, like actor Nolan North, may portray multiple characters within a single game. However, not all voice actors have extensive credits.

Becoming a voice actor is indeed challenging, akin to other creative fields in life, demanding dedication, hard work, and voice care due to the potential for vocal strain and damage.

But even localization advocates understand that the process can be complicated. Fortunately, you can set your game on the path to multilingual success by keeping these five points top of mind as you start your voice localization project.

1. Localize Your Script, Don’t Translate It

Voice recording is one of the last steps of video game localization. Before anyone steps foot into a recording studio, a script must be finalized for the video game character and target language, one that includes all the necessary drama and comedy. In modern games, the overarching story is typically universal, but the character conversations, asides, and references have a language and culture of origin, usually those of the developer’s home country.

Wordplay, puns, and certain jokes in the script make the experience fun and memorable, but they won’t make sense in other language markets. A word-for-word translation isn’t appropriate. Rather, the script must be localized to account for the sensibilities of your audience. A skilled localization team will tastefully adapt the game genres wording to better resonate with gamers, evoking the same thoughts and feelings, but in a style of its own.

2. Find The Right Voice Over Company

Language companies offer translation services. Recording studios deliver voice-overs. However, the list of providers that can handle your end-to-end video game localization and voice over work is quite limited. Considering your full scope of work and the release timeline, it makes business sense to consolidate these deliverables. Logistically, it’s simpler for the developer, but the final product will benefit from the open communication between project managers, localization professionals, and voice actors to ensure a seamless production process.

Often, a game developer will feel compelled to personally seek out and cast voice actors in their native language. Voice quality is subjective, and designers rightfully want a hand in making the game’s creative decisions. However, they usually defer this process for international voice actor casting—they just don’t have the context for or attachment to other languages. A voice partner will source the appropriate talent, vetting for experience and authenticity.

A voice production company can also keep you out of messy talent management dealings like contracts, usage rights, rates, and availability for updates and re-records. This applies to English, a different native language, and any other language localization. You have other important work to prioritize, like testing, marketing translation, and your rollout.

3. Provide Detailed Instructions And Clarification

The more information and access you can provide for the video game, the better the voice-overs will be. Can gameplay footage or other graphical assets be provided as a reference? Can you send character breakdowns that define persona, motivations, and their roles in the game? All this will influence the shortlisting of voice actors, the audition process, casting directors, and your ultimate satisfaction with the talent options presented to you.

If English-language voice acting take-overs already exist, they can be useful guides for capturing the spirit of the performance—voice actors of other languages can observe intonation and cadence if those should remain consistent across localizations.

4. Maximize Your Voice Recording Budget

It’s important to cast unique performers in the major roles of your game if the script is of any considerable length. For smaller or specialized roles, though? You’ll have some flexibility to stretch your budget. Voice-over artists are just like actors on stage or screen—they can change their delivery for specific dialogue or characters.

While versatility of video game voice actors varies, video games provide plenty of opportunities to let voice actors get creative in the recording studio. And the fewer lines for any particular character, the less conspicuous it sounds in the final product. There are likely opportunities to bundle voice roles, reducing the number of sessions required to complete the game’s audio. A knowledgeable provider can work with you to allocate your voice-over budget to the right mix of talent; this can be scoped at the onset of the project.

5. Streamline Your Audio Integration

Before recording, be sure to outline all the programs you’ll use to integrate the voice-overs. This will determine the post-production of your audio files—file format type, naming conventions, and any other editing considerations. An advantage of working with a voice-over provider instead of an individual talent is that the studio engineering, editing, and QA are included with the vocal performance. Spare yourself the work of this exacting process by clarifying your needs in game audio localization.

If there’s one thing the world can agree on, it’s that video game voice overs in games are awesome – and their growing global demand is a clear indicator of their popularity. Voice-over localization in video games is no longer a side quest for game developers—it’s part of the main story for a game’s success. Enhance your gameplay and increase your potential player base by providing an engaging, locally authentic voice experience. Audio localization in video games plays a crucial role in immersing players into the game world and making the gaming experience unforgettable.

What A Typical Recording Session Is Like

Arriving at the studio approximately 15 minutes before your scheduled session is crucial. Studio time can be quite costly, so even a slight delay can result in significant expenses for your client or employer.

Working in the video game industry, voice acting presents its own unique challenges. Scripts are typically kept under tight wraps, often only revealed to you moments before recording begins. However, don’t fret – you’ll usually receive a similar script in advance for preparation. Arriving early also provides an opportunity to sit down with the creatives and sound engineers to discuss their expectations for the session.

Once you’re ready, you’ll be guided to the recording area, which could be a home studio, a snug booth or a spacious soundproof room filled with various instruments. Regardless of the setting, focus on your microphone and positioning. If any adjustments to the microphone are needed, don’t hesitate to inform the sound engineer.

In terms of attire, it’s advisable to avoid ‘loud’ clothing and jewelry. These microphones are incredibly sensitive and can even pick up the rustle of clothes.

Most video game sessions typically span between 2 to 4 hours, and the duration will be communicated to you in advance.

Beyond that, the process is fairly straightforward. The director on-site may offer guidance and may request adjustments to your performance. Occasionally, there will be discussions between the creatives and the sound engineer in the mixing/mastering room, which you may not hear. This is perfectly normal, as creative decisions in sessions like these can be dynamic, involving potential changes in recording techniques, lines, and various other elements of gaming project.

When the time is right, BLEND is ready to press the start button with you. Check out our end-to-end game localization services and voice-over services.

Matt Strach

As BLEND’s Director of Enterprise Marketing, Matt brings 14 years in the audio and video production industries to help businesses execute successful voice and video localization campaigns.

Need fast, high-quality translation?

Translate now