Matt Ryan, voice of Edward Kenway in Assassin's Creed: Black Flag, argues the industry needs new terminology for voice performers. Ryan contends that "voice actor" fails to capture the full scope of modern performance capture work, where actors deliver emotional nuance through facial expressions and eye movement alongside dialogue.
The shift reflects how game development has evolved. Motion capture technology now records actors' entire bodies and faces, not just their voices. Ryan points out that audiences see these performances rendered in real time. The eyes alone convey complex emotions that dialogue cannot express. This technical advancement transforms voice work from pure audio performance into full cinematic acting.
Ryan's observation hits a real industry problem. The term "voice actor" undersells what these professionals do. They're not sitting in booths reading lines into microphones anymore. They're performing in full capture suits, marking out physical movements, delivering scenes with blocking and staging. Their faces appear on screen. Their expressions drive character development.
This matters for recognition and compensation. Voice actors often earn less than motion capture performers, despite doing identical work. Studios sometimes treat voice work as cheaper labor. Clearer terminology could help establish parity in pay and credits.
The gaming industry has been slow to adopt proper nomenclature. Hollywood calls similar work "motion capture acting" or simply "acting." Games still cling to outdated language that diminishes performer contributions. As games compete with film for talent and prestige, the terminology gap becomes harder to ignore.
Ryan's comments reflect broader conversations about crediting and valuing game performers. Voice actors increasingly pushed for inclusion in game credits lists. The Screen Actors Guild expanded coverage of video game work. The industry recognizes that talent quality directly impacts player immersion and emotional investment.
Black Flag remains a benchmark for voice acting in games. Ryan's Edward Kenway became iconic partly because of the naturalistic delivery and physical performance capture. His argument that