UPDATE: Maggie Robertson won Best Performance at The Game Awards 2021!
Video games have historically had a bad rap when it comes to actor performances. As a medium, it wasn’t always taken as seriously as older formats like TV, film, and theater, with performances in the past being criticized as over-the-top or unconvincing. As a result, it used to be that video game voice actors didn’t tend to get the same respect for their performances as actors in more traditional mediums. In recent years, there have been several breakthrough performances, often with the help of motion capture technology like in Naughty Dog’sThe Last Of Us.
The Game Awardsare basically the Oscars of the video game industry, and are a perfect way for performances in video games to be properly honored, especially with an awards category dedicated to recognizing standout examples. There has been a massive shift in the last decade or so for performances in games, with titles that feature truly heartfelt, nuanced, and emotional character arcs that allow voice actors to really flex their performance muscles. With five performances battling it out for the award, there has been a lot of speculation around who will come out on top.
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What It Takes To Be A Winner
The Game Awards 2020 was a tough year for performances, with plenty of likely candidates includingTheLast Of Us 2’s Ashley Johnson as Ellie and Nadji Jeter as Miles Morales inMarvel’s Spider-Man: Miles Morales.However, it was fellowTheLast Of Us 2’s Laura Bailey who won for her role as Abby, the vengeful and driven WLF soldier who was another playable character throughout the game. The first game was renowned for its emotionally harrowing storyline and its incredible main performances, and expectations for the second game were high.
Despite being a newcomer to the series, Laura Bailey’sAbbybecame a fan favorite. Her vulnerability shined through, even in a role akin to an antagonist early on in the game. Gamers really came on board with the character and her redemption arc was not only believable but widely praised. This, in part, was due to the fantastic writing, but Bailey’s performance was exemplary. It’s no wonder she won the Best Performance award, showing that depth and layers are often looked for to ensure a win in this category.
Giancarlo Esposito - Far Cry 6
The recent installments in theFar Cryseries have been praised for their villains, more so than the playable protagonists who can come across as slightly lackluster. The villains are not only the driving force of the games' narratives, but they’re also usually the stars of the story, with memorable performances from the actors.
Giancarlo Esposito, already a standout star from the TV seriesBreaking Bad, provides the likeness and performance forFar Cry 6’s antagonist Anton Castillo. Esposito’s performance as El Presidente showcased his ruthlessness and powers of manipulation, but also had depth through the complicated relationship he has with his teenage son. Esposito layered his performance, pulling from his own personal experiences to make sure the character felt fleshed out, as well as sympathetic, despite his undoubtedly villainous traits. Although a powerful performance, Castillo didn’t quite make it to the position of the series' most memorable bad guy.
Jason Kelley - Deathloop
Deathloophas been one of the standout games of the year, with multiple nominations in several categories including Game of the Year, Best Game Direction, and Best Narrative.Deathlooplooks set to scoop up at least an award or two, and with more than one nomination in the Best Performance category as well, the odds are good. The time loop game sees the player track down and face off against eight main targets called Visionaries. But there’s a hitch — when the player dies, they’re booted back to the beginning of the day as they go through the events again and again until they can take out all of the key targets in a single playthrough.
Gamers play asColt, the assassin doomed to repeat the day as they traverse Blackreef and attempt to avoid a violent end. Jason Kelley voices Colt, an actor known forGrown-ishandMayor of Kingstown.The performance was no doubt a challenge, as Colt doesn’t know who he is and why he’s stuck in a Groundhog Day situation on the isolated island. Colt’s talkative nature and spiraling sanity provide a lot of the core content of the game, and he’s undeniably engaging. Kelley imbues the character with a sense of humor and plenty of confidence, but in a game that focuses on gameplay over narrative depth, the characters can become a little lost in the background.
Maggie Robertson - Resident Evil Village
Resident Evil Villageis the latest game for the franchise, and in general, has received positive reviews from both critics and players. With more of a focus on action than its horror-filled predecessorResident Evil 7, the game features plenty of fast-paced and frenetic gameplay to send players into a panic. The game has a new setting and continues the Ethan and Mia storyline, but it was a side character that really made an impact on players.Lady Alcina Dimitrescu, the mysterious vampiric Duchess and unusually tall owner of the castle that looms over the titular village was an instant hit among the gaming community.
The seductively sinister and confusingly sexy villain’s main draw was undoubtedly her looks, but Maggie Robertson’s performance was also memorable. She even won in the Best Performer category at 2021’sGolden Joystick Awards, in recognition of her chilling portrayal. Even before the game’s release, the character had captured the attention of fans around the world and became the subject of fan art and cosplay. However, despite the undoubtedly attention-grabbing aspects of the character, it is still up for debate whether or not it has the layers for a truly great performance.
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Ozioma Akagha - Deathloop
With two nominations in the Game Awards' Best Performance category, it’s clear the acting inDeathloophas impressed gamers and critics as well. Although Colt is the main protagonist, there is also another character that features predominantly throughout the game, and that’s Ozioma Akagha’sJulianna. The antagonistic assassin is tasked with taking out Colt and sending him back to the start of the day before he can complete his mission, and she’s certainly single-minded in her pursuit.
Part of the narrative drive in Deathloop is uncovering the relationship between Julianna and Colt, and determining why she is so set on killing him and protecting the Loop.Ozioma Akagha’s performance is enjoyably contradictory — one moment she’s full of friendly banter, and the next she’s angrily coming at the player with a machete. Although both Kelley and Akagha’s performances are great, it’s hard to get to grips with characters that function more as guides in a game that’s predominantly about the setting and the mechanics.
Prediction For Best Performance Winner: Erika Mori - Life is Strange: True Colors
TheLife Is Strangeseries is first and foremost about relationships. The narrative-driven games focus on taking players through intimate and emotional stories, using gameplay to flesh out characters and provide insights into key interactions.Life Is Strange: True Colorshas already won Best Storytelling at the Golden Joystick Awards this year, and has been praised for its strong writing and its compelling protagonist, Alex Chen. For a series renowned for its emotional resonance, it’s easy to see why it does well in narrative categories.
Overall, the facial animations and vocal performances have improved from previous entries in the series, and have received a lot of praise. However, Erika Mori’s performance as protagonist Alex Chen has been the focus of the acclaim, with gamers and critics pointing out her range and empathetic delivery. Alex is the beating heart of the story, and Mori makes sure that such an important central element has the profoundness and complexity to do the story justice.
The relationships between Alex and the other characters in the small town ofHaven Springsare what provide the most poignancy to the narrative. The depth of Alex’s character is completely explored within the game, from tough moral choices to lighter interactions, and the freedom this gives Mori within the performance is one of the reasons that she’s tipped to win Best Performance.
The Game Awards 2021premiere on Jun 09, 2025, at 5:00 p.m. PST.
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