Bethesda Reflects on Fallout 4s Controversial Voiced Protagonist and Industry Trends

Fallout 4 is a game that has sparked mixed reactions. Numerous fans of earlier installments viewed the fourth entry as overly colorful, frivolous, and vibrant. Among the criticisms was the decision to give the main character a voice. A representative from Bethesda acknowledged that the team did not anticipate such a strong backlash regarding their choice to voice the protagonist. According to design director Emil Pagliarulo, at the time of development, this move seemed logical and in line with the prevailing trends in the industry.

In an interview with GamesRadar+, Pagliarulo shared that by 2015, featuring voiced protagonists was a standard practice for major RPGs. Virtually every AAA title at the time included voice acting for the lead character, and the developers of Fallout 4 were merely adhering to this trend. Additionally, having a voice enabled better expression of emotions and character traits, something hard to achieve with a completely mute protagonist.

The developers did not view voice acting as a limitation on player choice. Bethesda was confident that players could still craft their own narratives despite the established voice and minimal background for the main character. However, as time passed, it became evident that some segments of the audience perceived this approach as a departure from the traditional formula of the series.

This experience influenced the studio in their subsequent projects. In Starfield, Bethesda returned to a silent protagonist, recognizing that many fans expected such a design. As Pagliarulo explained, the team chose not to challenge player expectations and decided to deliver what audiences were requesting.