Claptrap voice actor David Eddings is reportedly not reprising his role in Borderlands 3 because development studio Gearbox “all of a sudden […] couldn’t afford [him]”.
While Eddings has voiced Claptrap in all prior Borderlands games, he did so whilst also employed as a full-time employee of Gearbox, so he played Claptrap without drawing down additional payment for his voice work. But as Eddings left his position as vice president of licensing and business development to move to Rooster Teeth in March 2017, he reports he asked to be paid “for the first time” for Borderlands 3 but was seemingly unable to reach a payment arrangement with the studio.
When asked on Twitter if he would be returning as Claptrap, Eddings said: “No. For the first time, I insisted on getting paid for my performance and all of a sudden they couldn’t afford me.
“Now I’m not telling them how to run their business but maybe next time they should put the $12M payment from 2K in the Gearbox bank account instead. Just sayin’…”
No. For the first time, I insisted on getting paid for my performance and all of a sudden they couldn’t afford me. Now I’m not telling them how to run their business but maybe next time they should put the $12M payment from 2K in the Gearbox bank account instead. Just sayin’…
— David Eddings (@davideddings) May 2, 2019
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“Gearbox works to treat and compensate all voice actors at industry standards. We offer the opportunity for salaried employees to voice characters in the game, but is not a mandatory responsibility to their job requirements,” a Gearbox spokesperson told IGN.