Does voice talent for video game titles deserve similar pay as those who work in Hollywood? In a New York Times piece, Michael Hollick, the voice of Niko Bellic in Grand Theft Auto IV, laments over the fact that he was contractually paid around $100,000 for 15 months work on the game with no promise of royalties.[blockquote2]But it’s tough, when you see Grand Theft Auto IV out there as the biggest thing going right now, when they’re making hundreds of millions of dollars, and we don’t see any of it. I don’t blame Rockstar. I blame our union for not having the agreements in place to protect the creative people who drive the sales of these games. Yes, the technology is important, but it’s the human performances within them that people really connect to, and I hope actors will get more respect for the work they do within those technologies.[/blockquote2]The issue here, is that there are a number of individuals involved in making a game what it is. Let's be honest, it's not like people bought GTA IV for Hollick's voice -- even though he did a fine job. In order for this to happen, similar compensation will need to be made for those on the creative and development side.
A Video Game Star and His Less-Than-Stellar Pay [NYT]