**The Intriguing Incident of Arthur Morgan’s Verbal Misstep: An Exploration of Roger Clark’s Regret and Rockstar’s Choice**
In the realm of video game voice acting, few portrayals have struck a chord with players quite like Arthur Morgan, the tough and multifaceted lead of Rockstar Games’ *Red Dead Redemption 2*. The voice behind Arthur’s rough persona, Irish-American actor Roger Clark, has become a cherished name in the gaming world. However, alongside the game’s monumental success and his standout performance, Clark carries a regret tied to what seems like a minor but impactful slip of the tongue.
### The Regret That Remains
In a YouTube Q&A, Roger Clark was posed a straightforward yet thought-provoking question: “If you could change anything, be it a story alteration or something you wished you had approached differently in your role, what would that be?” Clark provided an honest and unexpected answer. He shared that his greatest regret was incorrectly pronouncing the name “Colm O’Driscoll,” a significant character in the game. As per Clark, the accurate pronunciation ought to have been “Colom,” yet Rockstar opted to go with the incorrect “Colm.”
Clark’s annoyance is evident as he narrates how he cautioned Rockstar about the mispronunciation, only to be brushed off. This seemingly trivial detail has lingered with him, particularly in light of Rockstar’s meticulous production standards. The situation becomes more ironic with a scene in the game where another character, Kieran, mispronounces “Colm” and nearly suffers from Sean, another gang member, for the blunder. This implies that Rockstar was entirely aware of the right pronunciation, making their commitment to the mistake all the more baffling.
### Why Did Rockstar Hold to the Error?
The choice to adhere to the mispronunciation prompts various inquiries. Was it an intentional decision to inject a sense of authenticity into Arthur’s character, perhaps reflecting his outsider position within the gang? Or was it merely an oversight deemed too challenging or time-consuming to rectify in post-production? The video leaves this unanswered, inviting fans and even Clark to ponder.
One hypothesis is that Rockstar aimed for consistency throughout the game’s vast dialogue. With Clark recording over 250,000 lines, re-recording even a fraction could have posed a logistical challenge. Another notion is that the mispronunciation was perceived as a minor detail likely to be overlooked by most players, although it’s evident that it hasn’t escaped Clark’s or the observant fans’ attention.
### The Vastness of *Red Dead Redemption 2*
The immense scale of *Red Dead Redemption 2* is mind-boggling. The title boasts around 500,000 lines of dialogue, half of which were voiced by Clark. This equates to a story script of nearly 2,000 pages, although the full script extends even further with descriptions, directives, and supplementary notes. Considering this vast volume of material, it’s logical that some elements might be missed. However, the fact that Rockstar recognized the right pronunciation but opted to disregard it adds an enticing layer of enigma to the narrative.
### A Legacy of Attention to Detail
Rockstar Games has built a reputation for meticulous attention to detail and dedication to crafting immersive, believable worlds. This makes the choice to retain the mispronunciation even more puzzling. Perhaps the studio viewed the blunder as a minor flaw in an otherwise exceptional performance, or they might have thought it contributed a sense of realism to Arthur’s character. After all, in reality, names are often mispronounced, and Arthur Morgan embodies a character replete with imperfections.
### Conclusion: A Minor Misstep, An Enduring Effect
Roger Clark’s lament over the mispronunciation of “Colm O’Driscoll” highlights the human aspects behind even the most refined video games. While *Red Dead Redemption 2* is lauded for its narrative, world design, and character arcs, it is frequently the small, seemingly trivial elements that leave the most indelible marks. For Clark, this verbal misstep stands as a flaw in an otherwise brilliant performance, a reminder that even in a realm as carefully crafted as *Red Dead Redemption 2*, perfection remains elusive.
Ultimately, the rationale behind sticking with the mispronunciation continues to be an enigma, adding another layer of fascination to a game rich in secrets and narratives. Whether it was a conscious decision or a mere oversight, it has come to be a part of the game’s legacy, much like Arthur Morgan himself. And for Roger Clark, it underscores the enthusiasm and commitment involved in bringing a character to life, even within the virtual landscape of the Wild West.