THQ Nordic and Alkimia Interactive just released a fascinating behind-the-scenes series called Voices Across the Colony that pulls back the curtain on how Gothic 1 Remake’s multilingual voice acting came together. The Making Of Special videos dropped on November 6-7, 2025, highlighting the intricate localization process across English, German, Polish, and Russian. For fans waiting for this remake since it was announced, seeing the cast and hearing about their approach to capturing Gothic’s trademark tone is exactly the kind of content that builds hype.
Gothic 1 Remake has become one of the most anticipated RPGs currently in development, with over 1 million wishlist entries on Steam. The game launches in Early 2026 for PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X and S, and PC. These voice acting featurettes give fans insight into how Alkimia Interactive is preserving what made the original special while bringing it to modern audiences who never experienced the 2001 cult classic.
The English Voice Cast
The English-language recording was produced by PitStop Productions, featuring an impressive cast that brings Gothic’s gritty world to life. Joseph May voices the Nameless Hero, the protagonist players control throughout the adventure. May brings experience from numerous video game and animation projects, and his approach to the character emphasizes versatility.
Voice acting lets me play characters I’d never get to on screen, May explained. I’m not intimidating to look at, but with my voice, I can be. That’s the perfect mindset for the Nameless Hero, who starts as a nobody thrown into a prison colony and must adapt to survive among hardened criminals and monsters.
Harry Myers takes on the role of Xardas, the mysterious and powerful mage who becomes a crucial ally. Xardas is one of Gothic’s most iconic characters, and getting his voice right was essential for longtime fans who remember his importance to the story.
Andres Williams voices Diego, one of the first major NPCs players meet and a character who guides you through the early hours. Diego’s pragmatic survival advice and street-smart attitude made him a fan favorite in the original, so Williams had big shoes to fill.
Emma Gregory voices multiple characters including Ur-Narkrog and Velaya, showcasing the kind of versatility needed when voicing a game with dozens of unique NPCs. Adam Diggle plays Ur-Shak, an orc character, and he had particularly interesting thoughts about Gothic’s tone.
The script feels really grounded and dangerous in places, Diggle said. That unpredictability is part of what made me fall in love with Gothic all over again. That danger and unpredictability defined the original game, where conversations could turn violent instantly and every choice felt meaningful.
The English recording was directed by Beth Park and Daniel Bainbridge, who worked to ensure performances captured Gothic’s unique blend of dark humor, rough edges, and surprising humanity.
Why Localization Matters for Gothic
Gothic has always had a complicated relationship with English-speaking audiences. The original 2001 game had notoriously rough English localization that made dialogue sound stilted and awkward. Part of Gothic’s charm in its native German was the natural, conversational writing that made NPCs feel like real people rather than quest dispensers. That quality didn’t translate well initially.
The German version had colloquialisms, slang, and regional speech patterns that gave characters distinct personalities. When translated literally to English, much of that character was lost. NPCs sounded formal and unnatural. The remake represents a chance to fix that problem by writing English dialogue that captures the spirit rather than the literal words of the original.
By producing separate voice recordings for English, German, Polish, and Russian with native-speaking actors and directors, Alkimia Interactive is ensuring each language version feels authentic. This isn’t just translating text. It’s adapting performances to work within different linguistic and cultural contexts while maintaining the core tone that made Gothic special.
The Making Of Series
The Voices Across the Colony series is the latest in ongoing Making Of videos THQ Nordic has released throughout Gothic 1 Remake’s development. Previous episodes covered different aspects of bringing the classic RPG to modern platforms.
Chapter 1: The Essence of Gothic released back in February 2025 during Steam Next Fest. That video explored how Alkimia Interactive balances staying true to the original while enhancing the experience for modern audiences. Key team members including Reinhard Pollice (Head of Studio and Game Director), Kai Rosenkranz (Music Composer and Sound Designer), and Daniel Candil (Studio Art Director) discussed their vision.
Subsequent videos covered what to change versus what to keep the same, how the art style recreates the Valley of Mines while delivering modern graphics, and the technical systems powering the remake. The voice acting special continues that tradition of transparency, letting fans see exactly how the game is coming together.
What Is Gothic About
For those unfamiliar with the franchise, Gothic takes place in a prison colony surrounded by a magical barrier. The king of Myrtana needed workers to mine ore for his war effort, so he sent prisoners to the Valley of Mines and erected a barrier to keep them contained. The barrier worked too well, trapping guards and mages inside along with the prisoners.
With no escape possible, the colony developed its own society split between three camps with different philosophies. The Old Camp maintains a semblance of order by trading ore to the outside world for supplies. The New Camp wants to destroy the barrier and escape. The Brotherhood of the Sleeper worships a mysterious god they believe will free them.
Players control the Nameless Hero, a new prisoner thrown into this complex political situation. You must navigate between factions, learn skills from various teachers, uncover the mystery behind the barrier, and ultimately decide the fate of everyone trapped in the colony. It’s an open-ended RPG where choices matter and NPCs react dynamically to your actions and reputation.
What made Gothic legendary among RPG fans was its immersive simulation approach. NPCs followed daily routines, going to work during the day and sleeping at night. They remembered your actions and treated you accordingly. Combat was challenging and required actual skill. The world felt alive in ways most RPGs didn’t achieve in 2001.
The Remake’s Approach
Alkimia Interactive has been clear about their philosophy: modernize the experience without losing what made the original special. That means better graphics, improved controls and UI for accessibility, and refined combat, but maintaining the core systems that defined Gothic.
According to lead producer Reinhard Pollice, the combat system is based on the original rather than the playable teaser that was released years ago. The skill system will be very close to the original too. True to the 2001 game, the Nameless Hero starts completely untrained without any skills. You have to find teachers and pay them to learn abilities.
One major technical focus is the AI. Alkimia Interactive calls it motion magic, an algorithm that decides which animation sequences play and in what order so that the player character and NPCs move realistically. The system uses 20 to 30-minute motion capture recordings divided into individual sequences and categorized. This should make movement feel much more natural than the original’s sometimes janky animations.
Lockpicking will feature a system similar to the original but presented differently for modern players. The goal is making Gothic more accessible without dumbing it down or removing challenge.
The Piranha Bytes Connection
Gothic was originally created by Piranha Bytes, a German studio that went on to make Gothic 2, Gothic 3, and the Risen and ELEX franchises. When THQ Nordic acquired the Gothic IP and commissioned a remake, Piranha Bytes stated they weren’t interested in revisiting old projects and wanted to focus on new games like ELEX.
However, Piranha Bytes closed in winter 2023-2024, and some of their employees joined Alkimia Interactive to work on the Gothic 1 Remake. This brings authentic Piranha Bytes DNA to the project, with developers who worked on the original Gothic now helping recreate it.
Composer Kai Rosenkranz, who created Gothic’s iconic soundtrack, is also involved. He’s described the opportunity as a unique second chance to revisit his early work and improve it with modern tools and techniques. His atmospheric music was a huge part of what made Gothic memorable, so having him return is essential.
Release Window and Platforms
Gothic 1 Remake launches in Early 2026 for PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X and S, and PC via Steam. A free demo called the Nyras Prologue is currently available on Steam, letting players experience the gameplay and atmosphere without spoiling the story. The demo was recently updated with improvements based on feedback.
Additionally, THQ Nordic announced that Gothic Classic, Gothic 2 Complete Classic, and Gothic 3 Classic will all come to PlayStation and Xbox in 2026. This gives console players who never experienced the originals a chance to see what the fuss is about.
The remake has been in development since Alkimia Interactive was founded in March 2021 specifically for this project. After years of work and multiple behind-the-scenes videos showing progress, fans are finally close to experiencing the finished product.
FAQs
Who voices the Nameless Hero in Gothic 1 Remake?
Joseph May voices the Nameless Hero in the English version. The character is also voiced separately in German, Polish, and Russian by native-speaking actors to ensure authentic performances in each language.
When does Gothic 1 Remake release?
Gothic 1 Remake launches in Early 2026 for PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X and S, and PC via Steam. A specific release date hasn’t been announced yet.
Is there a Gothic 1 Remake demo available?
Yes, the Nyras Prologue demo is currently free on Steam. It offers a glimpse of the gameplay and atmosphere without spoiling the story. The demo was recently updated with improvements based on player feedback.
Who is developing Gothic 1 Remake?
Alkimia Interactive, a studio founded in March 2021 specifically to develop the Gothic remake, is handling development. Some former Piranha Bytes employees who worked on the original Gothic joined Alkimia after Piranha closed in 2023-2024.
Is the original Gothic composer returning?
Yes, Kai Rosenkranz, who composed the iconic soundtrack for the original Gothic, is returning to work on the remake. He’s described it as a unique second chance to revisit and improve his early work.
Will Gothic 1 Remake have the same gameplay as the original?
The remake maintains core systems like the skill progression where you start untrained and must find teachers, but modernizes controls, UI, and combat for accessibility. According to the developers, it balances staying true to the original while enhancing for modern audiences.
How many languages does Gothic 1 Remake support?
The game features full voice acting in at least four languages: English, German, Polish, and Russian. Each language has native-speaking actors and directors to ensure authentic performances rather than simple translations.
Why was Gothic never popular in English-speaking countries?
The original 2001 game had rough English localization that made dialogue sound stilted. Much of Gothic’s charm came from natural, conversational German writing with regional speech patterns that didn’t translate well literally. The remake addresses this with proper English adaptation.
Conclusion
THQ Nordic and Alkimia Interactive’s Voices Across the Colony series gives fans exactly what they want to see: talented voice actors bringing beloved characters to life with direction that understands what made Gothic special. Joseph May as the Nameless Hero, Harry Myers as Xardas, and the rest of the English cast are tackling performances that need to capture danger, dark humor, and humanity without losing the edge that defined the original. With Early 2026 launch approaching and over 1 million wishlists on Steam, Gothic 1 Remake is poised to introduce a cult classic to modern audiences while satisfying longtime fans who’ve been waiting over two decades for a proper revival. The voice acting featurettes prove that Alkimia Interactive isn’t just remaking a game. They’re preserving a legacy while making it accessible to players who deserve to experience what made Gothic legendary.