As someone who does actually play it - it’s only microtransaction focused if you get FOMO and like to collect all playable characters.

Usually you can guarantee a new high rarity unit once every two months or so of playing, but the real endgame is just exploring and there is no need to pay anything ever.

Definitely possible. Also worth considering they could quadruple the pay for all their VAs and not feel it in the slightest so it’s really strange.

Yep, SAG-AFTRA. The problem is that certain game studios refuse to work with the union (for a variety of reasons, from minor stipulations of the union contract that can't be guaranteed, to simple staunch opposition).

Unfortunately the field is fraught enough that there are plenty of folks that need to work non-union sometimes, too. It's not the kind of job where you can just get hired once and show up for 40 hours for a paycheck. Projects are often short commitments - maybe a few hours at a time. More if you're lucky. And that's only after you throw your name into a million buckets, audition for as many as will have you, and hopefully get cast.

If you're real lucky, you get to do something like Genshin that will invite you back regularly to do voices for events, and you can show up for the work without needing to audition again and again like for everything else. Well. At least until they decide not to pay you for months, that is.