Current Events > Don't Cast Hollywood Celebs In Video Games | Spot On

(+) Yeah! (+)

There's nothing wrong with casting celebrities for video games as long as they're a good fit and give a decent performance. Shitting on big names because it's trendy is getting old.

And come on, it's not like Megan Fox was an A-lister or anything. Most people probably forgot who she even is.

The only celebs that do videos games in 2023 are C listers

Totally a random thing, but I remember an old over-the-shoulder sci-fi shooter that prominently featured Bruce Willis. Like, it wasn't a movie game, but something original. I totally forget the name for it, but it was on one of the early generations of the Playstation. I think at one point they might have had some bad, low-res pixelated video playing in the background as you went through a level.

ironman2009 posted...

The only celebs that do videos games in 2023 are C listers

Idris Elba (Cyberpunk 2077 DLC) is a C-lister?

ironman2009 posted...

The only celebs that do videos games in 2023 are C listers

John Cena? JK Simmons? Keanu Reeves?

i agree with some of the names but Keanu's kinda bad imo, he's so flat.

The problem with big-named celebrities largely comes down to cost.

Big actors are just way pricier than voice actors are which means they either eat up a lot of budget or have really small roles, sometimes it can even be both. And what do you get for that cost...at best a performance comparable to a good VA, but frequently it's worse because VAing is a different skillset that a lot of traditional actors have less experience in.

Finally there is the "why" aspect. Like how many people bought Oblivion for Patrick Stewart?

Compsognathus posted...

Finally there is the "why" aspect. Like how many people bought Oblivion for Patrick Stewart?

Counter point: Patrick Stewart gives a lasting impression on the game which helps sales due to positive reception

I have to give props to Ray Liotta for what he did with Tommy Vercetti despite personally hating video games.

It reminds me a lot of Michael J. Fox in Teen Wolf. He was embarrassed to play that part, and never reclaimed it, yet he gave a performance that was on par with Marty McFly in Back to the Future.

SayHeyyShohei posted...

Counter point: Patrick Stewart gives a lasting impression on the game which helps sales due to positive reception

Also,

Leonard Nimoy regrets to inform you that Seaman has died.

Patrick Stewart elevated Castlevania: Lords of Shadow a couple points by himself

SayHeyyShohei posted...

Counter point: Patrick Stewart gives a lasting impression on the game which helps sales due to positive reception

I mean did he? Like 2006 was a long ass time ago but I don't remember people talking about how the 3 minutes of Patrick Stewart was a reason people should go buy the game.

Compsognathus posted...

I mean did he? Like 2006 was a long ass time ago but I don't remember people talking about how the 3 minutes of Patrick Stewart was a reason people should go buy the game.

They didn't. But no one goes and says they bought Mario because of Charles Martinet, yet he was a major reason why there is a lasting impression with his games.

As long as it doesn't snuff something else out *looks at Kiefer*

DuneMan posted...

Totally a random thing, but I remember an old over-the-shoulder sci-fi shooter that prominently featured Bruce Willis. Like, it wasn't a movie game, but something original. I totally forget the name for it, but it was on one of the early generations of the Playstation. I think at one point they might have had some bad, low-res pixelated video playing in the background as you went through a level.

Was it "apocalypse "
I think I remember beating that game it was fun as hell (pun intended if you know what I mean)

SayHeyyShohei posted...

They didn't. But no one goes and says they bought Mario because of Charles Martinet, yet he was a major reason why there is a lasting impression with his games.

Mario is a character who is with you and entire game, so the impression is more important. But more to point, Charles Martinet is not a big name actor, but was still able to leave a positive impression.

Patrick Stewart did a perfectly fine job in his very brief role, but he didn't do something uniquely fine. Hell, they probably could have hired Charles Martinet to do the role for a fraction of the price and it would still have left a plenty positive impression.

SayHeyyShohei posted...

John Cena? JK Simmons? Keanu Reeves?

John Cena and JK Simmons aren't A tier. Neither is Idris Elba.

DuneMan posted...

Totally a random thing, but I remember an old over-the-shoulder sci-fi shooter that prominently featured Bruce Willis. Like, it wasn't a movie game, but something original. I totally forget the name for it, but it was on one of the early generations of the Playstation. I think at one point they might have had some bad, low-res pixelated video playing in the background as you went through a level.

I only know about this because the Super Best Friends played it on a Mystery Box episode. One interesting note about it is that it's engine was eventually repurposed for Tony Hawk's Pro Skater.

joe_stalin518 posted...

Was it "apocalypse "

Yeah, that was it. Wild times...

Here's the video that played in the background in one of the levels:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xEgST-J_MFU

ngl Apocalypse would've ruled if it was a better game. Not like Bruce Willis was phoning it in that badly and it was a once in a lifetime concept idea.

I miss that game ,i use to rent that and I think it was armored core for ps1 all the time

Lance reddick was a damn good voice actor too before he passed

I remember when there was a shitty FPS game with space flight combat called Mace Griffin on the first Xbox, and Henry Rollins did the voiceover. It was such a dudebro Duke Nukem wannabe effort.

ironman2009 posted...

John Cena and JK Simmons aren't A tier. Neither is Idris Elba.

The fuck? Yes they are. The only that's up in the air is Cena, and even then; he's most definitely nowhere near a C-lister.

Kitt posted...

The fuck? Yes they are. The only that's up in the air is Cena, and even then; he's most definitely nowhere near a C-lister.

No they aren't. You putting them on the same level as Pacino or Brad Pitt?

ironman2009 posted...

John Cena and JK Simmons aren't A tier. Neither is Idris Elba.

LMFAO

No they aren't. You putting them on the same level as Pacino or Brad Pitt?

Kevin Spacey was in a video game.

The space sim Freelancer (https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0165789/?ref_=fn_al_tt_3) was loaded with celebs, and it was damn good.

They wasted all that money on Fox when they could have gotten Cary to reprise his role as Shang Tsung.

ironman2009 posted...

No they aren't. You putting them on the same level as Pacino or Brad Pitt?

Yes... J.K. Simmons is literally an active academy award winner, Elba is one of the highest grossing actors ever, and Cena is a household name that leveraged his wrestling background into an acting career that's still going strong. You buggin', lmao

I think you all are getting lost in the A list distinction. The overall point us about big actors entering the more niche video game acting market.

And JK Simmons is weird because dude can win an academy award and then turn around and do voice acting in a cartoon all while doing insurance commercials. I'd say he doesn't quite count as he regularly delves into more niche VAing roles. He's also, and I don't say this with any derision, a character actor, and that kinda changes the view on how he is cast.

Jagr_68 posted...

ngl Apocalypse would've ruled if it was a better game. Not like Bruce Willis was phoning it in that badly and it was a once in a lifetime concept idea.

I loved it personally. Short game but enjoyed playing it a lot.

Compsognathus posted...

I think you all are getting lost in the A list distinction. The overall point us about big actors entering the more niche video game acting market.

And JK Simmons is weird because dude can win an academy award and then turn around and do voice acting in a cartoon all while doing insurance commercials. I'd say he doesn't quite count as he regularly delves into more niche VAing roles. He's also, and I don't say this with any derision, a character actor, and that kinda changes the view on how he is cast.

Bring me pictures of JK Simmons.

ironman2009 posted...

John Cena and JK Simmons aren't A tier. Neither is Idris Elba.

A-List is based on their popularity, and drawing power, not their acting ability.

Although actors like Simmons and Elba could be considered A-Listers for both reasons.

And Pacino was in Jack & Jill. Dude is a complete hack now.

ironman2009 posted...

John Cena and JK Simmons aren't A tier. Neither is Idris Elba.

Academy award winning JK Simmons isnt an A-lister? lol

FunWithAFryPan posted...

Academy award winning JK Simmons isnt an A-lister? lol

Yeah. What a joke.

His counter was that JK still does voice acting work, so he cant be an A Lister.

Meanwhile every Pixar movie is filled with A List actors doing the voices of the characters.

1) You shouldn't put a celebrity in a role simply because of their fame

2) Voice acting and regular acting are not the same skill. Cast people based on their voice acting talent, not their other talents

My definition of A List is different than yours then. That's fine. JK Simmons is a fine actor and makes anything he's in better.

Depends on the game. But not a single soul in the world was gonna go "wait a minute, Megan Fox is in Mortal Kombat? Now I must purchase this!". It's such an odd pairing, and to spend all that money to have her voice some jobber character whose only role in the story is "monster that gets beat up". At least Rousey was a main hero character.

Kitt posted...

The fuck? Yes they are. The only that's up in the air is Cena, and even then; he's most definitely nowhere near a C-lister.

Cena is def C tier but that's not really relevant. Plenty of A listers do video game work.

Compsognathus posted...

I think you all are getting lost in the A list distinction. The overall point us about big actors entering the more niche video game acting market.

And JK Simmons is weird because dude can win an academy award and then turn around and do voice acting in a cartoon all while doing insurance commercials. I'd say he doesn't quite count as he regularly delves into more niche VAing roles. He's also, and I don't say this with any derision, a character actor, and that kinda changes the view on how he is cast.

Just because he does niche stuff and V/O work doesn't mean he's not an A-Lister.

bigblu89 posted...

A-List is based on their popularity, and drawing power, not their acting ability.

Yeah, The Rock is 100% an A-List actor despite his actual acting abilities being mediocre at best.

FunWithAFryPan posted...

Academy award winning JK Simmons isnt an A-lister? lol

Winning an Academy Award doesn't make someone an A-lister. Cuba Gooding Jr. won an AA. He used to be an A-lister but certainly isn't now.

Also, the concept of an A Lister is dying out these days. People don't care as much about actors anywhere near as much as they used to.

ironman2009 posted...

My definition of A List is different than yours then. That's fine. JK Simmons is a fine actor and makes anything he's in better.

Your definition of A List is different than THE definition of A List.

Thats your problem, not ours.

bigblu89 posted...

Your definition of A List is different than THE definition of A List.

Thats your problem, not ours.

it's not really a problem at all.

ironman2009 posted...

it's not really a problem at all.

Well, when you think youre right, when you arent, it kinda is.

bigblu89 posted...

Well, when you think youre right, when you arent, it kinda is.

copy chief, over and out

Compsognathus posted...

The problem with big-named celebrities largely comes down to cost.

Big actors are just way pricier than voice actors are which means they either eat up a lot of budget or have really small roles, sometimes it can even be both. And what do you get for that cost...at best a performance comparable to a good VA, but frequently it's worse because VAing is a different skillset that a lot of traditional actors have less experience in.

Finally there is the "why" aspect. Like how many people bought Oblivion for Patrick Stewart?

Yup This is what helped to bankrupt Bioware requiring an EA buyout.

I never really understood the decision myself. We're not going to see them or anything. We're supposed to be connected to the character, not the actor. Movies and TV are one thing, because the actor represents the character. But in a videogame or cartoon, that doesn't matter at all. I've never been drawn in because a specific person voiced a character. I really couldn't care less about that.

They could probably find 100 voices that fit the character better for 1/50th the price.

I can sort of understand a little for actors that have iconic voices, like James Earl Jones being cast, but still, I'm not going to be more likely to play it just because he voiced someone in it. It really just kind of iris me a bit when some big name celebrity is fast just because they have a big name. Often times to the detriment of the character they're portraying. Just hire someone that fits well and help them make a name for themselves.

https://gamefaqs.gamespot.com/a/user_image/0/9/6/AAdlC_AAE3jA.jpg