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March 9-13, 2026
Moscone CenterSan Francisco, CA

Agenda

Casting Authentic Voices Across Cultures: Navigating Multilingual Casting for AAA Games

Tim Friedlander  (CEO/Founder, soundBOX:Studio Group)
Carin Gilfry  (Vice-President/Co-Founder, National Association of Voice Actors (NAVA))
Matthew Parham  (Director of Operations, National Association of Voice Actors (NAVA))
Alexis Biro  (Business Development Manager, Terra Localizations/IGDA)
Michael Csurics  (CEO / Creative Director, Brightskull)
Location: Room 2003, West Hall
Date: Friday, March 13
Time: 9:30 am - 10:30 am
Pass Type: Festival Pass, Game Changer Pass - Get your pass now!
Audience Level: All
Track: Audio, Team Leadership
Format: Panel
Vault Recording: Video
Audience Level: All

This panel explores the complexities of casting authentic voices for multilingual AAA video games. A group of experienced professionals share insights on navigating creative and logistical challenges in bringing diverse characters to life across languages and cultures. Panelists discuss sourcing native-speaking talent, collaborating with unions, managing VIP and on-camera actors, and ensuring cultural consistency across global casts. Through real-world examples and recent project case studies, the session highlights how thoughtful casting decisions enhance narrative credibility, player immersion, and inclusive representation. Ideal for developers, audio directors, and localization teams, this session offers practical strategies for approaching casting as a critical part of immersive storytelling in today's global games industry.

Takeaway

Attendees will gain practical strategies for casting authentic, multilingual voice talent, insights into union and cultural considerations, and real-world examples of how thoughtful casting enhances immersion and representation in AAA games. This panel will offer actionable takeaways for developers, audio teams, and localization professionals working on global productions.

Intended Audience

This panel is intended for developers, publishers, producers, audio directors and industry professionals interested in knowing how to create a cohesive and culturally diverse multilingual experience with an accurate and respectful representation of voices in video games, gaining truthful and multidimensional portrayals for characters in their games.