"You didn't fire me, I was the first to leave you": voice Paimon from Genshin Impact stopped working with miHoYo
Corina Boettger, Paimon's voice actress in Genshin Impact, has announced her departure from the project.
2025-06-03
As she expects, temporary. In an interview with the Paperbag Boy YouTube channel, she stated that she would not return to the role until miHoYo (HoYoverse) signs an agreement with the actors union SAG-AFTRA. At the same time, Böttger understands that she will probably be replaced. There is no doubt about this: earlier, the Chinese company did not stand on ceremony with those who refused to fulfill their contractual obligations because of the ongoing strike.
The decision is due to the SAG-AFTRA strike, demanding the protection of actors from the use of their voices by artificial intelligence. The "last straw" for Böttger was the replacement of actor John Patnode (Kinich) with Jacob Takanashi, who is not a member of the union. Boettger and other Genshin Impact actors criticized Takanashi for taking the place of a striking colleague.
Previously, Böttger faced delays in payments, and HoYoverse solved the problem by changing her recording studio. Actors usually work through studios rather than directly with developers, which often causes disputes over payment.
The situation with the English-language voice acting of Genshin Impact remains difficult. HoYoverse has already replaced actors in their games due to the strike. Paimon is the protagonist's important strategic food supply, and her voice acting will be a significant event. A decision on the fate of the role and negotiations with the union has not yet been made, but replacing all the remarks will require more resources.
