I wish all accents were german

[Odd]

Aside from the foreigners, it seems most characters have British accents. I had to sign up to this forum and say that the developers didn’t need to ensure that the characters were English. It spoils the immersion, just like how in Hitman, everybody is either American, British or Australian no matter if you’re in Morocco, Colorado, Japan or Paris.

It’s very frustrating for me that they did this considering it’s a realistic medieval game and looks very immersive. However, I can understand and be forgiving if for some reason it was cheaper or easier to get British voice actors.

[Martin_ch]

If I remember the language discussion correctly, the British English was chosen because it does sound better for the medieval setting. Of course the game could be in Czech, but it would turn away much more people than the chosen solution. And if all accents were German, then it would be harder to present German characters in the game as a slightly foreign element.

Compromises have to be made to appeal to as wide audience as possible, as long as it does not compromise the core ideas of the game.

[JohanVonWertera]

I am happy there are at least German accents…

[Odd]

Sorry I don’t understand. Do you mean that because in ancient and medieval films and other medieval/ancient games they’re mostly British voice actors and so we’re used to it. Therefore, it’s more authentic? Im British and it really sucks it out of me when i hear a no-nonsense northerner living in Bohemia working as just another blacksmith. I would’ve loved for it to have been native accents then you’d start to hear the regional differences and find that not all are from bohemia. But most importantly, it’s more immersive for me. Maybe Im in the minority though as most people around the world are more immersed, or haven’t noticed, when it’s all British in Bohemia.

[Martin_ch]

Well, perhaps if we help make the game great commercial success, we will get continuation of the story and perhaps the next time it would have Czech in it too. So everyone go there and spend, spend, spend, so that Warhorse drowns in money and can implement even more niche features.

[Odd]

I really do appreciate that they decided to use the Hungarian language though rather than an American or British person speaking English but who’s meant to be Hungarian. That element is very immersive and it’s scary too as they’re foreign, you don’t know what they’re saying and they want to kill you so you have no way to communicate nor do you know how to react.

[Martin_ch]

I suppose the final choice might sound the weirdest for British people. It is something common for you, but for the rest of the world the British accent and wording may seem more classy, old fashioned and imperial and in general more suited to anything historical.

Personally I would either go with Czech language or the British language. I think if I was forced to listen to 100+ hours of gameplay with English but with Czech accent, I would rather try to force some long, sharp objects into my ears and brain.

The other issue is that it would make the characters sound as if they could not speak properly. But it would be interesting to see some telemetry of how many people switch to native languages in games like this. For example how many non-polish players played Witcher in Polish.

[b101uk]

Is the problem more to do with none-native English users who use “English” language setting in games because their own language is not supported, thus its relatively imperative that the “English” used not suffer from very notable accents that would make understanding it harder for them (while at the same time not having US accents to voice actors which doesn’t fit the time-period)

[Odd]

Yea good point. Are non-native English speakers more likely able to understand native English speaking accents than other accents.

[SaOk]

They should have went full Schwarzenegger.

[Martin_ch]

Yes, unless it is an accent used in their country. And most people are used to the American accent from all the movies and tv shows. That is why British does sound more exotic and better suited to the theme. Imagine if some barbarian tried to do Shakespeare with American accents.

[Darken365]

I would have liked it if everyone that currently speaks with an English accent still speak English but with the relevant accent : German, Czech, Hungarian etc. The whole idea of old English “fitting” the middle ages is silly; everyone in Europe was there and played bigger roles than England. I was really looking forward for some sweet sweet accent action… If anything English accents make it sound more Victorian not medieval. I don’t know how an accent can have the characteristics of a time period but still. Guess next we will have a feudal Japan with Chinese accents.