Several voice actors from the highly successful game Genshin Impact have claimed that they are not being paid or are receiving low pay from the game’s developer, HoYoverse. Two voice actors, Corina Boettger and Brandon Winckler, publicly shared their experiences on Twitter, with both suggesting that the game should be a union project to ensure fair treatment and timely payment for voice actors.
Quick Facts
- Corina Boettger, the voice of Paimon, claims the studio owes her thousands of dollars.
- Brandon Winckler, who voiced several minor roles, left the production due to payment issues.
- Genshin Impact generated $3.7 billion between 2020 and 2022, with an estimated $86 million monthly revenue.
Boettger stated in a Twitter thread that she has not been paid in months, while Winckler revealed that their wages were not only late but also very low. Winckler shared their frustration, stating that it’s difficult to justify working when they cannot afford basic necessities, and pointing out that many non-union productions suffer from similar issues.
Given Genshin Impact’s financial success, with a reported total revenue of $3.7 billion between 2020 and 2022, the voice actors believe that making it a union project would help ensure fair treatment and timely payment. While Boettger continues to work at the studio, Winckler chose to leave and stated they would not return unless the game goes under a union contract.
Unions have been gaining traction in the gaming industry, with ZeniMax quality assurance employees voting to unionize in January and Sega workers in Irvine forming the largest multi-departmental union in video game history earlier this week. Despite these positive steps towards unionization, the Genshin Impact payout controversy highlights that there is still a long way to go for pro-union workers in the gaming industry.
