Listening to Video Game Voices: A Call for Action for Research into the Vocal Health of Video Game Voice Actors.

Video game voice actors (VGVAs) are a professional voice user (PVU) population whose occupation relies on their ability to reliably deliver extremes in vocal performance. In their work VGVAs are required to perform solo for extended durations, producing highly complex character performances that not only include extremes of vocal parameters and qualities but also highly demanding vocal acts (ie, screaming, singing) within those voice archetypes. Based on the vocal demands of their work and current understandings of occupational voice disorder, it is reasonable to consider that VGVAs may be at increased risk of vocal fatigue, injury, and disorder, as manifestations of occupational disease. This risk is of primary concern to VGVAs who recently organized industrial action to highlight their concerns regarding vocal health within their industry. As a group that is not well represented within voice research, there is little literature currently available to inform clinical support of the population. Due to the unique nature of VGVA work and the highly specific nature of occupational voice use among PVUs, we cannot necessarily generalize research from other populations to VGVAs. As such, research utilising frameworks designed to capture the complexity of voice use, demands on the voice, and experiences of its use are required to support the concerns of the population. This paper introduces VGVAs as an emerging PVU population, describes the concerns of this population within the context of current understandings of vocal fatigue, occupational voice problems and PVU populations, and details the approaches required in the development of research into the population.