Starfield's Decision to Drop Voiced Protagonists Hasn't Diminished the Shine of Its Two Main Characters
Starfield's bold decision to abandon voiced protagonists didn't hinder the brilliance of its two stars, Sam Coe and Andreja Their potential as player character voices remained untapped, adding to the game's allure
Bethesda's decision to forgo a voiced protagonist in Starfield led to an unexpected change in the roles of voice actors. Instead of replacing them completely, the developer reassigned Elias Toufexis and Cissy Jones to different characters within the sci-fi epic. Toufexis, in a tweet, praised Bethesda for this unusual move, mentioning that it is not a common practice in the gaming industry. While their roles as player voices were abandoned, Toufexis was cast as Sam Coe and Jones as Andreja. However, both Toufexis and Jones continued to lend their voices for various efforts in the game, such as grunts and exclamations of pain. Jones, though she did not provide additional details, retweeted Toufexis' statement.
Starfield's lead designer, Emil Pagliarulo, revealed in a previous interview that opting for a protagonist without a voice was a strategic choice that greatly enhanced the game. By avoiding a voiced character, the developers were able to offer a diverse range of potential player characters.
"We decided to explore a text-based approach, which turned out to be incredibly liberating. In fact, our extensive world in Starfield contains over 200,000 lines of spoken dialogue, all without the presence of a voiced protagonist. It was precisely the absence of a voice that allowed us to craft such an expansive universe," explained Pagliarulo.
Starfield caused the largest one-day increase in Game Pass subscriptions, according to reports. It also performed well in terms of sales, taking the top spot on the charts upon its September release. However, the critical reception was lukewarm, with Starfield being the lowest-rated game from Bethesda on Steam as of September. Recently, players uncovered an Easter egg related to Halo.
Editor's P/S
As a Gen Z netizen, I have mixed feelings about Starfield's decision to drop voiced protagonists. On the one hand, I understand the developer's desire to offer a more diverse range of potential player characters. By avoiding a voiced character, they were able to create a game that is more inclusive and appealing to a wider audience. On the other hand, I feel that the lack of a voiced protagonist takes away from the immersion of the game. I enjoy being able to hear my character speak and interact with the world around them, and I feel that a voiced protagonist can help to bring the game to life.
Despite my reservations, I still believe that Starfield is a great game. The story is engaging, the characters are well-developed, and the gameplay is fun and challenging. I am excited to see what Bethesda does with the franchise in the future, and I hope that they will consider adding a voiced protagonist to the next game.
