I’d rather have a cyborg Bateson than an AI Bateson. Or even more fittingly, a clone, but if IOI wants that clone to do 47’s voice acting in 22 years they’d better start the cloning process right away :x
7 Likes
I’m assuming neither of those will be available, hence why I went with an (agreed upon) AI as the only current viable option.
1 Like
I can imagine that voice artists can offer an AI of their own voice to be rented by companies. Nothing wrong about that.
Question is, if maybe after 100 years it is time to give the starving young voice artists a chance too.
8 Likes
There’s always new characters for those. If there’s a way to make existing characters always sound like themselves, I say take it.
Another nice small detail. Dartmoor.
If Alexa is gone and you get rid of birds, when Parsons comes to the maid being ready to meet Alexa, the maid just waits on the phone while trying to reach I assume Alexa’s guard to let them know that Leonard is ready.
And she hangs up as soon as Leonard dies (in my case from the poison in his drink).
I don’t know if she waits eternally if Parsons stays unharmed though
4 Likes
I rather see a new voice actor than an AI version of Bateson. To be blunt, I rather see the franchise ended then AI duplicate trying to replace a human.
Bateson is iconic, but there are other fish in the ocean.
17 Likes
Not good enough fish. James Earl Jones had the right idea: as long as the actor gives their permission, if the current storyline hasn’t ended yet, continue to use their voice/face/body/whatever until it’s done.
2 Likes
There is a giant pond of talented voice actors and more will come. To say no one can replace Bateson down the line is a disservice to a line of work that’s facing huge obstacle with AI replacement.
Saying Bateson can’t be replaced, is based on emotions and not reason. Do I wish to see him replaced? No. If the series continues 25 years more, it might be necessary. Rather human then AI. No matter how advanced they become.
Bateson was once almost replaced. Did it sting, yes. Was William Mapother a bad choice? No, I think he did a good job. Better than Bateson, no.
There is a better argument when it comes to a character like Darth Vader, his voice is already enhanced and modulated.
Does it mean I think it’s the right choice? No. There have been plenty of great voice actors who’ve been emulating his voice in both animation and games. I rather see the entertainment industry develop and give new talents a chance.
That is at least how I see it. I’m against AI when it comes art.
10 Likes
All well and good, but my concern in regards to art is results rather than methods.
1 Like
I think I’d prefer to see a new voice actor, before AI, but if that becomes a thing (like Jones/Vader) it’s gotta be limited to the role so that it doesn’t kill the career field.
2 Likes
Oh yeah, absolutely. Only to be used for the specific character(s) they embodied, not to apply them to others.
1 Like
Wait a minute. You guys are seriously telling me Bateson isn’t a clone, does age and is mortal?
3 Likes
No no, he’s an immortal being. Just like in Highlander, but with voice acting.
6 Likes
And indeed, there can be only one.
3 Likes
I was only thinking about this a few months ago you know and it’s hard to imagine 47 speaking and not hearing David Bateson’s voice for the character. When we had William Mapother voicing 47 prior to Absolution’s release, it was just weird and didn’t sound right at all. If David Bateson authorised it, I wouldn’t be against having 47’s voice as a AI Bateson in the future once he’s no longer able to do it, very much like what Lucasfilm did with James Earl Jones in the Kenobi TV series, however, I can see why actors are against AI voice recordings across the video game industry.
Keeping an actors voice and likeness alive through AI is to me a bizarre idea that is only justified by nostalgia and fear of change. Imagine if AI was available in the 60s and Sean Connery’s James Bond was the only actor to get the chance to play the character. If it becomes the norm are we to expect our contemporary celebrities to still be around as digital ghost celebrities in the future with fewer new talent getting a foot in the door?
11 Likes
One of the issues with Mataophore was there was no reason for a recast. Bateson was doing a wonderful job as 47, he had been there a long while, and perhaps more importantly, the fan base loved him. It’s way different than if he’s no longer able to play the role.
3 Likes
There was a reason, we can discuss if it was a well documented reason. Hoping that adding Hollywood talent would lead to broader appeal and therefore more sales.
I don’t believe that adding A or B list talents have ever lead to more sales in big franchises. Not that I have any sales figures to compare with. Mataophore is neither A or B list. But he probably came with a bigger price tag than Bateson either way.
Honestly I don’t think he was a bad cast, unnecessary. But not a bad cast. If he was the voice of 47 going forward I would be perfectly able to live with, even if the replacement would still sting 13 years later.
Either way I don’t believe that Mataophore would have stayed on for future games. Just like Marsha Thomason only voiced Diana in Absolution. It’s likely that IO would have rehired Bateson again with HITMAN. Distancing themselves even more from Absolution than it’s the case in reality. Marking Absolution as bigger stain on the series, then it is currently.
Another less likely scenario is that IO would have found a third voice for 47.
Just to be clear, I like Absolution and more than BM.
2 Likes
Yes, the powers that be wanted a big Hollywood movie star to drive sales. As you said, he wasn’t going to do it. Maybe a giant name like Stallone or Statham could have, but absent of that kind of star power it wasn’t gonna do the trick. As far as William Matophors ability… he’s a fine actor. I don’t think any of us would have been upset with him if he was in the first game, but it’s not the guy we were used to and loved. Oh man! Can you imagine if after they didn’t use Bateson in Absolution they wanted to find another new guy? HMFwould have rioted 
.
We did mosey a bit off topic there; apologies.
1 Like