Fan-Made Pokemon Dub Video Makes The Case For Voice Acting

Lately, Pokemon fans haven't been coy about lobbying Nintendo to improve various aspects of the ultra-popular franchise. The latest target is the lack of voice acting in Pokemon Scarlet and Violet, as a group of actors have put together a dub video in order to demonstrate the potential impact of spoken dialogue.

The video breaks down several aspects of the Pokemon experience, starting from the cutscene where the player is prompted to choose their favorite starter. It also includes a pre-battle sequence, as well as static dialogue from later in the game. Altogether, the voice actors involved definitely make a difference in the overall presentation.

Project coordinator Dr. Bonehead states in the video's description that they feel that Pokemon's upcoming Generation 10 should feature dialogue. Several YouTube comments agree, with fans noting that the game's emotional story beats would've hit harder with a fully voiced cast. Over the years, Nintendo has been slow to add voice acting to some of its core franchises, most notably the Legend of Zelda series. 2016's seminal entry Breath of the Wild was the first to include full voice acting in cutscenes, though Link himself remained largely silent. Pokemon Scarlet and Violet have garnered a mostly positive reception from critics and fans, but some have criticized their significant technical problems.