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So Over 50% of Japanese Players Preferred English Voices in Localized Western Games

miku

Member
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GameSpark did a survey asking which voices between Japanese and English will you pick when Western games getting localized.

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Results:
Japanese Voices - 49.51%
English Voices (Original) - 50.49%

Reasons for choosing Japanese voices:
-"Can't concentrate on playing the game when you need to read the subtitles."
-"Easier to understand when it's in Japanese voices."

Reasons for choosing English voices:
-"It's more fun to enjoy the game in original atmosphere."
-"It also helps my English study."
 
Pretty interesting that it works the other way around. I usually prefer playing JRPGs in Japanese with subs if it's offered. Dual audio should be the norm.

Also reminded me of that Kenichi Smith (?) copypasta.
 

EGOMON

Member
And vice versa i always choose Jap voice whenever i have the choice and the same goes to Anime i never watch dubs
 

Shai-Tan

Banned
Pretty much, the dubbed voicework is almost never as good as the original no matter what the language is.

some Japanese games are making English the main language though e.g. Capcom games like Devil May Cry or at least parity e.g. Asura's Wrath (I prefer the English but they're both decent). Same with Metal Gear Series
 
I'm glad that half of the gamers over in Japan feel the same way I do about the importance of having the original voice-track. Good on 'em. Was watching a Japanese fella playing The Order some months back and thinking to myself how the hell anyone could play such an English game with the Japanese dub on.
 

Rhaknar

The Steam equivalent of the drunk friend who keeps offering to pay your tab all night.
so just like we prefer japanese voices in japanese games then

everyone prefers the original
 

sensui-tomo

Member
I like KH in english, I wonder what the vast opinion is for that game (because who the heck wants the disney characters to have different voices?)
 
Japanese people are a lot more used to having English voices and Japanese subs though, in a Cinema most of the screens showing hollywood movies will have subs. Only 1, if even that, will have the Japanese dub.
 

Omikaru

Member
I quite like both sub and dub. It depends on the quality of the dub, the theme/setting/scenario of the game, and so on. I'm not a zealot about these things and I'll happily play a dub if it's well-acted and localised.

so just like we prefer japanese voices in japanese games then

everyone prefers the original
"everyone"

The stat is marginally over 50%. There's a clear and almost even divide between Japanese players who prefer dubs and those who prefer subs. Given these stats, at least in localised Western games in Japan, the argument for dual audio is compelling.
 

Klyka

Banned
They just like to hear the superior dub in a superior language with a culture far superior to their own.
 
This is not a news.
Aside rare exceptions the original work is always better than adapted work.

Does it have to be "news" to qualify for posting? Just the fact that the survey offers up a perspective on a topic we so frequently discuss would make it relevant.

While I don't disagree with your point, I'd say the numbers would be a bit more skewed if it were objectively true. Maybe a western survey would be more unanimous in its disapproval of dubs, but 50/50 is awfully deadlocked.
 

mcz117chief

Member
so just like we prefer japanese voices in japanese games then

everyone prefers the original

I definitely do not. So far I have not came upon a game or anime where the Japanese dub was appealing to me. English voice actors are much more diverse, people like Liam O'Brien, Jamieson Price, Steven Blum, Ali Hillis, Laura Bailey, Tara Platt, Troy Baker, Marc Diraison, Kevin T. Collins, etc. are much more fun to listen to than any Japanese voice actors I know.
 

Dio

Banned
I definitely do not. So far I have not came upon a game or anime where the Japanese dub was appealing to me. English voice actors are much more diverse, people like Liam O'Brien, Jamieson Price, Steven Blum, Ali Hillis, Laura Bailey, Tara Platt, Troy Baker, Marc Diraison, Kevin T. Collins, etc. are much more fun to listen to than any Japanese voice actors I know.

None of those people are as awesome as Norio Wakamoto or Jouji Nakata, sorry.
 
It's roughly the same ratio here.

Which was my point, people are using this as conclusive proof that people worldwide prefer original audio over dubs when the results should be its just as split there as it is here and the split is for virtually the exact same reasons.

People are clearly just reading the thread title and posting without reading the results, over 50% is technically true, but its the difference of 5 people and less then 1% difference.
 
Usually media is much better enjoyed in the tongue it was designed for. Dubbing is mostly terrible in my opinion.

This is not a news.
Aside rare exceptions the original work is always better than adapted work.

This. It happens here in Argentina aswell, we prefer almost everything in it's original tongue. Why would I want Drake to speak in spanish?

EDIT: It's nice to have the option for the kids who might not be able to read the subs or understand another language.
 
The ironic thing, we are talking about non existing characters, they never had a real voice to begin with, so the excuse of it being the original and that makes them automatically better voices doesnt fly for me.
If most of the time is better is because the guys responsible for the thing are the ones who usually decide the voices they want, and if they are good at vision that voices and get good actors, it works perfectly...
But theres also the case were other countries have done fantastic dubs to the whole cast of a series (cartoon or videogame) that are at the same level or some time surpass the originals.

For example, lets see. A game made in Spain, like Commandos. So theres an american dub and a spanish dub, made exactly at the same time. Which one is the original there? The Spanish voices becuase the game was done in that country? But they arent really the original, because the american dub was made at the same time...
So which one is automatically the best there?
What about Bayonetta? A japanese game that came with an english dub, and didnt had a japanese one, even if the game is japanese, until it came to the wiiU?
And wonderful 101, same case as the Commandos example, american and japenese dubs worked exactly at the same time for a japanese game.
Etc...

And its a case of quality my friends. Even if I prefer to hear some japanese animes in japanese, other times I prefer its english dub, EVEN not being american (case in point, W101 american dub has a thousand times more personality than the japanese one, having played both). And sometimes I prefer the spanish voices to the american one. And other I love to play or watch that thing in two languages, becuase I think both are great. I like variety and quality, and IMO its better becuase its the original is closing doors for better things.

And wow, less than 1 percent over 50! Yep, thats the majority.....
No its really not, it half and half nearly exactly. So the best decision for japan here would be to give the option of japanese dubs or original voices, or you are going to segregate half your audience.
 

HawthorneKitty

Sgt. 2nd Class in the Creep Battalion, Waifu Wars
Which was my point, people are using this as conclusive proof that people worldwide prefer original audio over dubs when the results should be its just as split there as it is here and the split is for virtually the exact same reasons.
People will push it however far they want to reflect their own feelings.
 
The ironic thing, we are talking about non existing characters, they never had a real voice to begin with, so the excuse of it being the original and that makes them automatically better voices doesnt fly for me.
If most of the time is better is because the guys responsible for the thing are the ones who usually decide the voices they want, and if they are good at vision that voices and get good actors, it works perfectly...
But theres also the case were other countries have done fantastic dubs to the whole cast of a series (cartoon or videogame) that are at the same level or some time surpass the originals.

For example, lets see. A game made in Spain, like Commandos. So theres an american dub and a spanish dub, made exactly at the same time. Which one is the original there? The Spanish voices becuase the game was done in that country? But they arent really the original, because the american dub was made at the same time...
So which one is automatically the best there?
Etc...

And wow, less than 1 percent over 50! Yep, thats the majority.....
No its really not, it half and half nearly exactly. So the best decision for japan here would be to give the option of japanese dubs or original voices, or you are going to segregate half your audience.

Yep giving the players options for dub or sub is truly the best option in all case as there is no clearly best option or preferred option unlike what some people are trying to pull from these results.

People will push it however far they want to reflect their own feelings.

Yep, its sad too, the thread title makes the poll sound far more definitive then it actually is.
 
original + subs for film and games. i only choose dub when i feel lazy.
and regret the next day.

That's a very informative pie chart, I know visualise much better what 50% means in a population.

this man know.

I definitely do not. So far I have not came upon a game or anime where the Japanese dub was appealing to me. English voice actors are much more diverse, people like Liam O'Brien, Jamieson Price, Steven Blum, Ali Hillis, Laura Bailey, Tara Platt, Troy Baker, Marc Diraison, Kevin T. Collins, etc. are much more fun to listen to than any Japanese voice actors I know.

they're good and in every game, sounds like fun. this lezard guy is now an old villain in my devil my cry game.
 
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