Trigger warning: Sexual harassment, abuse allegations
The voice behind Genshin Impact character Tighnari will be recasted after its original voice actor, Elliot Gindi, was hit with sexual harassment allegations.
In a statement, developers HoYoVerse said Gindi breached their contract, and will not be voicing the character in subsequent versions as a result.
"At present, we are communicating with the voice recording agency regarding matters of casting and re-recording. We will gradually replace Tighnari's existing in-game voice lines, and issue these updates in the corresponding announcements," they said.
Gindi was announced as part of the Genshin voice cast in late 2022 as one of the introductory characters using the Dendro element.
HoYoVerse did not elaborate on what parts of the contract were breached, but in late January, Gindi was accused by fans and moderators of his Twitch and Discord server of taking advantage of his fame to ask fans for sexual favors, misgendering them, along with emotional abuse.
Gindi previously apologized in a statement posted on his Twitter page. But the game's community and victims alike have rejected it as a non-apology.
Some members of the Genshin community also pointed out that he often streamed in his boxers, with apparently malicious intentions, which he denied.
Some of the game's English voice casting actors such as Erika Harlacher-Stone, Zach Aguilar, Sarah Miller-Crews, Alexander Saab, Anne Yatco, Ratana, Khoi Dao, and Jenny Yokobori have also condemned Gindi's actions and declared that they are rejecting any association from him, moving forward.