Jennifer English, the actor behind some of gaming's most acclaimed recent performances, has stepped away from Eclipse Glow Games' action title Tides of Annihilation. English had voiced protagonist Gwendolyn since the project's early days, but announced this weekend that she was leaving the lead role to focus on her wellbeing.
"Recently, I've found myself needing to slow down and reassess the commitments I've taken on," English wrote in a statement posted to her Instagram, as reported by Eurogamer and VGC. "After careful thought, I've realised I need to take time to rest and properly look after my mental and physical health." She called it a "difficult - yet personally necessary - decision" to leave as the game moves into its next phase.
English is best known for playing Shadowheart in Baldur's Gate 3 and Maelle in Clair Obscur: Expedition 33, the latter earning her a Games BAFTA earlier this year. According to Kotaku, she has also appeared in Elden Ring, Wuthering Waves, and most recently Marathon. Her involvement had helped raise the profile of Tides of Annihilation.
An Advisory Role and a New Voice
English said she won't be cutting ties entirely. She plans to stay on as an advisor and said she personally introduced the team to a replacement, describing that actor as "a very talented" performer who is "a wonderful fit for Gwen."
Eclipse Glow Games confirmed the transition in its own statement. The studio said English first informed the team in June that she could no longer continue, and that she remained supportive throughout, helping identify performers alongside other members of the voice cast. "While we were, of course, saddened by her decision, we completely understood and respected Jennifer in prioritizing her well-being," the studio wrote.
The developer has not named the new lead, but said the actor's "recent work in video games left a strong impression on both Jennifer and our team." According to the studio, she is currently recording Gwendolyn's English performance for the game's Gamescom 2026 hands-on demo, and players will hear the new voice for the first time there in August, along with select official updates.
Eclipse Glow closed its message by thanking English, saying her performance "brought depth, strength, vulnerability, and heart to the role."
What Tides of Annihilation Is
First revealed during a PlayStation State of Play in February 2025, Tides of Annihilation is a single-player action game from the China-based Eclipse Glow Games. It blends modern-day London with Arthurian legend, casting players as Gwendolyn in a hunt for the Holy Grail. She can summon spectral forms of the Knights of the Round Table, with flashy, arcade-style combat that outlets have compared to Bayonetta and a fantasy aesthetic reminiscent of Elden Ring.
The game is positioned as another big single-player release out of China following Black Myth: Wukong. There's no release date yet, but it's set for PC (Steam, Epic, and Xbox), PS5, and Xbox Series X/S.
For anyone tracking Tides of Annihilation, the practical takeaway is simple: the version playable at Gamescom next month will feature a different English-language Gwendolyn than the one English originally voiced. If you were following the game largely because of English's track record on Baldur's Gate 3 and Clair Obscur: Expedition 33, the August demo will be your first chance to judge how her replacement handles the role.