Why did they change all the voice actors?

[Ortamus]

Overall I'd say the VA was much more of an improvement. In 2.0 I got the impression a bunch of people turned up, recorded their lines with no real care for the character and then left. There were a few moments which felt poorly executed in HW such as when Iceheart shows up near the end.

I'd like SE to challenge ESO with the voice actors, they have John Cleese, Bill Nighy, Kate Beckinsale, Alfred Molina, Malcolm McDowell, Peter Stormare, and Professor Dumbledore. I'm not saying because they're famous that it works, the voices suit the characters and they've put every bit of passion they have into their work. It just felt like they were more professional and nothing was forced.

Also there are few posts in this thread stating that English VA isn't taken that seriously compared to those in Japan. Tell that to Frank Welker, John DiMaggio, Dan Castellaneta, Mark Hamill or Mel Blanc.

[Daralii]

<snip>

ESO also spent something like $100 million on voice acting, TOR spending something like double that. The only VA I really disliked was Yugiri, who sounded like she was trying to be Japanese and British at the same time. I'll definitely miss Gideon Emery, but the others are at least tolerable. Y'Shtola sounds super familiar to me, but I can't place it.

Steve Blum's someone else you forgot to mention.