Jennifer English, star of Baldur's Gate 3 and Clair Obscur: Expedition 33, leaves Tides of Annihilation lead role

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Jennifer English with the Performer in a Leading Role Award for Maelle in 'Clair Obscur: Expedition 33' in the winners' room during the 2026 BAFTA Games Awards with Google Play at Queen Elizabeth Hall on April 17, 2026 in London, England. (Photo by John Phillips/BAFTA/Getty Images for BAFTA)

Jennifer English, who gained fame for her portrayal of Shadowheart in Baldur's Gate 3 and then won a BAFTA award for best performer in a leading role for Clair Obscur: Expedition 33, has announced that she is withdrawing from the role of Gwendolyn in the upcoming Tides of Annihilation in order to "properly look after [her] mental and physical health."

Revealed in 2025, Tides of Annihilation struck me as an Arthurian Elden Ring set in modern-day London: Gwendolyn, the only survivor of the "Outworld invasion" that's shattered London, can summon the spirits of the Knights of the Round Table to help her do battle with the "demi-gods of Avalon." As videogames go, I'd say it sure looks very videogame-y.

Tides of Annihilation | Official Announcement Trailer - YouTube

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No points for originality there, but it's among the 50 most wishlisted games on Steam, and that's not nothing. But the game suffered a blow when developer Eclipse Glow Games announced that English was stepping down.

"Earlier in June, Jennifer informed us that she would no longer be able to continue in the role," the studio wrote on X. "While we were, of course, saddened by her decision, we completely understood and respected Jennifer in prioritizing her well-being. We are also deeply grateful for the care and responsibility she showed throughout this process.

"During this transition, Jennifer remained incredibly supportive and, together with other members of our voice cast, helped us identify and connect with talented performers who could carry Gwendolyn forward while staying true to the character."

English offered some insight into her decision in an Instagram story that was subsequently shared on Reddit, saying that she needs to "slow down and reassess the commitments" she's taken on.

&ldquo;I'm really grateful to have been part of Tides of Annihilation since the game's inception and to have worked with such a lovely team.Recently, I've found myself needing to slow down and reassess the commitments I've taken on. After careful thought, I've realised I need to take time to rest and properly look after my mental and physical health. With that in mind, I've made the difficult - yet personally necessary - decision to step away from the project as it moves into its next phase.During this transition, I was pleased to help introduce the Tides of Annihilation team to a very talented actor who I believe is a wonderful fit for Gwen. Having seen her passion, talent, and care for the craft, I'm excited for players to hear her interpretation of the role and can't wait for players to experience what she brings to Gwen.(Although I'll be stepping away from the role, I'm happy to remain involved with Tides of Annihilation as an advisor, and I look forward to supporting the team and Gwen's journey in a different capacity.)I wish the entire team nothing but success, and I'll be cheering them on as they continue bringing the game to life.Thank you for your understanding and support&rdquo;

"After careful thought, I've realized I need to take time to rest and properly look after my mental and physical health," English wrote. "With that in mind, I've made the difficult—yet personally necessary—decision to step away from [Tides of Annihilation] as it moves into its next phase.

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"During this transition, I was pleased to help introduce the Tides of Annihilation team to a very talented actor who I believe is a wonderful fit for Gwen. Having seen her passion, talent, and care for the craft, I'm excited for players to hear her interpretation of the role and can't wait for players to experience what she brings to Gwen."

English added that she is "happy to remain involved with Tides of Annihilation as an advisor."

Eclipse Glow has selected a new actor for the role of Gwendolyn, who is now recording the English performance for the Tides of Annihilation hands-on demo that will be playable at Gamescom. Neither the studio nor English divulged the name of the new actor, however—I'm guessing that will be revealed when the demo debuts in August.

Andy has been gaming on PCs from the very beginning, starting as a youngster with text adventures and primitive action games on a cassette-based TRS80. From there he graduated to the glory days of Sierra Online adventures and Microprose sims, ran a local BBS, learned how to build PCs, and developed a longstanding love of RPGs, immersive sims, and shooters. He began writing videogame news in 2007 for The Escapist and somehow managed to avoid getting fired until 2014, when he joined the storied ranks of PC Gamer. He covers all aspects of the industry, from new game announcements and patch notes to legal disputes, Twitch beefs, esports, and Henry Cavill. Lots of Henry Cavill.