Since its launch in September 2020, Genshin Impact continues to delight millions of players around the world. Regularly updated by its creators, miHoYo, the title continues to welcome new content over time, some of which is completely free. But as version 5.8 of the game looms, it seems that the studio is in a difficult situation. After recently losing the original voice actor for Kinich, John Patneaude, the actress behind Paimon is also reportedly preparing to leave.
Another voice change coming for Genshin Impact?
Played by Corina Boettger in the English version, the adorable companion who accompanies the player in Genshin Impact could indeed soon change her voice, according to the actress. "After John was replaced, I let Hoyo know that I wouldn't play Paimon again until they unionized, so they'll probably just replace me," she joked on Paperbag Boy. And if she seems to naturally laugh bitterly, it's because there's actually much more to this story than one could imagine.
Indeed, the departure of John Patneaude, now replaced by Jacob Takanashi, was experienced as "the straw that broke the camel's back" for Boettger. Because beyond that, the actress also and above all denounces the fact that Hoyo is multiplying contract terminations for Genshin Impact voice actors. "I told Hoyo that I wouldn't come back to record until they signed the SAG interim agreement, because I've had to deal with my contract being terminated time and time again because they didn't pay me on time," she explains on BlueSky.
"I wait an average of 3 to 5 months to receive my salary," she continues, adding that the contract normally stipulates that the salary must be received within 30 days of the assignment. "That's why contracts don't mean anything if the game isn't unionized, because contracts aren't enforceable without a union. […] That's why we need SAG. Because without the SAG, these companies know we don't have the money to sue them because most of us, myself included, are already living paycheck to paycheck.".
A situation that divides players
For some members of the Genshin Impact community, Boettger's position is nevertheless seen as a U-turn on the part of the actress. Because while the SAG, which is a strike aimed at protecting professionals in the entertainment industry by demanding improved working conditions and protection against being replaced by AI, has been raging for months, this hasn't stopped the latter from continuing to work rather than supporting the cause.
Therefore, we can't say that the possibility of her departure is necessarily perceived as a problem for a part of the community. Because while some are obviously expressing their disappointment at the potential disappearance of this voice that has accompanied them from the beginning, others, on the contrary, are already having fun looking for who could be the ideal replacement to embody Paimon. But for now, let's not get too excited, because things could change very quickly depending on Hoyo's response to Boettger's claims.
Source: Paperbag Boy, BlueSky
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