The Role of Accents in Localization
Andy Kavanagh
What do our accents say about us before we've even said a word?
A World With Only One Accent
Imagine a world where everyone speaks exactly the same way. Every conversation, whether with friend or foe, carries the same tone, the same rhythm, the same cadence. If you couldn’t see, you’d struggle to tell anyone apart by voice alone. Does that sound like a world you’d want to spend time in?
For most, the answer would be a resounding “no.” And yet, for years, this has been the reality of many Japanese games localized into English. American English has dominated JP-EN localization, creating a uniformity that flattens the richness of fictional worlds. But English is a language of incredible diversity, with regional and national variants too numerous to count. These accents could add flavor, depth, and authenticity to game worlds, yet too often, they’re passed over for the simplicity of recording everything in one place, with one type of voice.
The Myth of Neutral English
At first glance, the conventional wisdom makes sense. American media has been the global entertainment benchmark for decades, with no end in sight. Audiences are accustomed to American voices, so anything else might feel surprising—or worse, alienating. Choosing an American cast might seem like a neutral decision, while using regional accents could feel like a creative risk. But the reality is that this perspective only holds true for Americans themselves.
To the rest of the anglophone world—a vast and varied landscape spanning continents, cultures, and countless dialects—an American voice isn’t neutral. It’s unmistakably, undeniably American. And like any other variant of English, it carries its own set of cultural connotations and quirks.
As a blunt example, America has never had a royal family. Its history is rooted in rebellion against the very concept of monarchy. For this reason, it can feel jarring to hear American voices in royal roles. It’s not that American actors can’t deliver good performances, it’s that the cultural associations of American English and American accents often clash with the regal tone these roles demand. The result feels off, in a way that’s irritating but inexplicable.
Accents That Bring Worlds to Life
Thankfully, there are some high-profile examples of other variants of English in modern-day gaming. Monolith Soft’s Xenoblade series and Square Enix’s Final Fantasy XII famously use regional dialects from both anglophone and non-anglophone countries, blending voice acting with expressive phonetic text to create distinct identities for their characters. More recently, Final Fantasy XIV and XVI followed suit. Dragon Quest goes even further, not only embracing British English but also incorporating regional British accents from the width and breadth of the United Kingdom.
Then there’s Level-5’s Ni no Kuni, where the Welsh accents of the fairies practically stole the show. For many players in 2013 (particularly those outside the UK and Ireland), this was likely their first encounter with Welsh accents, and it added a layer of uniqueness to the game’s world in comparison to other fantasy RPGs. These games feel more alive and immersive because of their auditory diversity, drawing players deeper into their worlds, whether they realize it in the moment or not.
Case Study: Wild Hearts
Here at Bonus Stage, we had the privilege of contributing to the English version of Koei Tecmo’s Wild Hearts, recorded in Japan with bilingual Japanese actors. The game was praised for how authentically Japanese its English version felt—a testament to the decision to keep production rooted in Japan.
The Challenges Accents Present
That said, it would be disingenuous to suggest this is easy to pull off. Regional accents often carry cultural baggage—fair or not—and without careful handling, they risk veering into caricature or parody. Casting a wide net for voice actors can also be less cost-effective than relying on a single vendor, which is tempting when budgets are tight.
But these challenges are worth navigating. With the right partners and a thoughtful approach, many of these issues can be mitigated, or even avoided entirely. So why give up before the race has even started? The payoff is almost always worth the effort.
The Payoff of Linguistic Diversity
A game world rich with unique landscapes, locales, music, and characters deserves a voice cast to match. Incorporating variations of English makes a world feel infinite and deep, as though you might never discover all the different types of people who inhabit it.
Let’s buck the trend of games that sound identical—and characters that sound identical within those games—by being more thoughtful and proactive about how we approach English. Imagine if every game you picked up didn’t just offer a new experience but also left you with new vocabulary, new ways to express yourself, and a fresh perspective on something as fundamental as language itself.
With game worlds like that…would you ever want to leave?
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About the Author
Andy K.
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