The announcement of Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain was a bitter-sweet moment for fans of the series. Though always happy to see Hideo Kojima expand the Metal Gear universe, many were outraged by omission of long-standing voice actor, David Hayter.
Instead 24 star, Kiefer Sutherland, has been drafted in to fill the role of lead protagonist, Snake, also lending his talents to the recent prologue, Ground Zeroes.
Still, fans have continued to pelt both Kojima and Hayter with questions as to whether he will make a return to Metal Gear. The answer? Another resounding NO. The voice actor took to Twitter last night posting the following message:
Guys, For the millionth — and last — time. I am not in Metal Gear V. In any way. At all. No joke. Just not. True story. Best, DH
— David Hayter (@DavidBHayter) June 23, 2014
For some, David Hayter’s absence won’t change a thing but for Metal Gear purists it’s likely to rub them the wrong way. What many find particularly frustrating is Kojima’s silence on why he was subbed out for Sutherland.
Our guess is that it gives Konami another bullet point to scribble on the back of each box but who knows for sure?
Blair Inglis
Of course he won’t. This isn’t all just hiding a “twist” where the real Snake/Big Boss comes back. In any way. At all.
No joke.
Lieutenant Fatman
Seriously? But changing voice actors really breaks the immersion. If it wasn’t done for some cool ‘twist’ then it’s just a horrible decision.
PoorPaddy89
There’s no twist. Proof of it is that the Japanese voice actor who has played Snake since MGS1 – the same time that Hayter started – is still playing Snake.
Basically, Hayter’s been dumped for no good reason. Sure, maybe having Jack Bauer star will entice a few newcomers to the series, but I can’t imagine that it’s a massive sales-changing decision.
Foxhound_Solid
:-(
Cathaloh
I still don’t buy it, I would be fine if Sutherland voiced Big Boss in The Phantom Pain. But the fact that he didn’t voice him in Ground Zeroes which only took place less than a year after Peace Walker (which mind you, David Hayter voiced Big Boss in) literally doesn’t make any sense. Something makes me think it actually has to do with Big Boss’ mental psyche and that he thinks his voice sounds different now because he’s interpreted that he sounds different.
And because of that you need to ask… why? Why recast David Hayter? He’s one of the most beloved voice actors in the game industry and has had big involvement with the franchise for over 15 years and voiced Snake (including both, Snake and Big Boss when I say that) in over 9 games and God knows how many other games with the likes of Smash Bros to topple it. It’s also worth mentioning he actually voiced Solid Snake VERY recently in 2013 for a re-released set of Metal Gear Solid digital graphic novels, so he’s clearly still involved with the franchise.
(minor Ground Zeroes spoilers ahead) Plus, does anyone else not find it strange that Kiefer Sutherland is voicing 3 characters in MGSV? Big Boss, the medic at the end of Ground Zeroes and Ishmael? Something’s going on, the fact the game was announced as a non-Metal Gear game by a completely fake game studio also (Moby Dick) clearly shows that one of the main themes of MGSV will be that of complete deception.
It’s not that I’m trying to make an excuse or grab onto my last strings of hope that David could be coming back, I genuinely think something is going on with the game’s plot as to why he isn’t voicing him anymore, especially with how Peace Walker and Ground Zeroes have such a small time gap it doesn’t even make sense for his voice to change like that.
And on a final note, has anyone noticed that Big Boss barely talks? I know we’ve not seen much actual cutscenes yet. But I find him rather silent…
CrawFail
Sutherland did voice Snake in GZ. Or am I reading you wrong?
It’s down to a couple of things, one of which was mentioned by Kojima himself (don’t ask for a link though! I’ve no idea where to find it) that he wanted an actor that could my just voice Snake but could also provide the facial motion capture.
The other thing (my opinion) is the fact I think they want to eliminate some of the campiness and the “put on” voice from other games and make Snake sound more natural.
I ADORE MGS and I love David Hayter but I dont think I’ll miss his voice. Having watched the trailers and played GZ, I can’t see Sutherland doing a bad job by any means and I’m sure this game will be so amazing and will answer so many questions that the man behind the voice won’t matter to me one bit.
I very much doubt there’s any kind of conspiracy behind Hayter not being a part of it. They did the same with Sam Fisher in Splinter Cell, Lara Croft has been voiced by loads of different people..it’s just a case of Kojima wanted someone to fill a certain criteria and Hayter wasn’t the one to do it.
So yeah it’s nothing to do with the character, more the actual scope and ambition of the game itself.
You’re right with the quietness though..he’s a much MUCH more tortured character though..after everything he went through in Operation Snake Eater I don’t blame him! Comparing him to Solid Snake, a man who basically could list family trouble at the top of his list, Boss is a mess. Tortured, troubled, having lost love in Eva, having lost love and respect for his country..
I cannot wait to see how the Big Boss story plays out. He’s a brilliant, fascinating character.
CrawFail
As for him voicing there characters, that’s the first I’ve heard of that.
Cathaloh
Oh sorry! That’s my bad! Meant to say; “But the fact that he voiced him in Ground Zeroes…”
I actually thought that originally (the campiness part that is). But if that really was the case, why keep everyone else? Every character that appeared in Peace Walker and then Ground Zeroes was still voiced by their original actor EXCEPT for David Hayter, the one voice actor that people know & love most. And it’s also common knowledge he isn’t the only “Campy” actor of the series. Christopher Randolph has had a few moments where I cringe.
But I will say this, I wouldn’t have had anything wrong with Sutherland voicing Big Boss in The Phantom Pain. But the fact he voiced Big Boss in Ground Zeroes makes it feel awkward now since the game takes place not even a full year after Peace Walker. If they wanted to change his voice fine, but I still think David should have stayed in for at least Ground Zeroes if that was the case. Heck he only has about 2 pages of script overall with how short Ground Zeroes was anyway.
But like I said before, I’m not going to believe David Hayter is fully out until the game is released. I know it’s true that people this time really are trying to say; “I think he’s actually gone now guys, Kojima isn’t trolling us.” But at the same time, this game is just confusing me with how much we’ve seen yet it still feels like we’ve barely seen anything, it’s extremely vague. Let’s not forget that this game was not even revealed as a Metal Gear title. We may even have another MGS2 of the generation with a surprise twist. Let’s just hope that this time it isn’t as controversial. :)
And yeah, Big Boss is pretty boss. Looking forward to The Phantom Pain regardless. Seems this will finally be the game where Big Boss loses it.
CrawFail
Who knows. Maybe those guys did something right in their audition? Maybe there is something else going on behind the scenes that we don’t know about? I’m pretty sure though that David won’t be around for the game.
There was an interview with him where he mentioned that he won’t even be playing it. He does seem to be fairly passive about the whole thing though. If it were me losing my biggest contract, the one I gave a good chunk of my pay away for (for Twin Snakes) I’d be absolutely gutted.
I do also know that Hayter was known for stalling progress while recording by suggesting that the way Snake/Boss say something or what he say be altered which would take days to resolve. As a known perfectionist, maybe he wanted a guy that would just sit down, shut up and act. Or it could have been a scheduling thing wIth Hayter being involved with some pretty big movies these days. Who knows.
I guess a few things don’t quite add up. But I put the reveal down to them trying to be funny and cryptic, adding a tonne of carriages to the hype train.
As always with a Kojima game though, there’s always something..
Cathaloh
Well, I don’t think they really auditioned now if they all managed to get all the same roles again. :P Still though, I do find it really, really strange.
I actually did hear that interview myself, still wouldn’t take it as solid (no pun intended) evidence though. Like I said before, I’m not taking any gambles on anything or any bets on how the game will truly be like, I don’t want to be fooled again. I’ve really been “Fool me once, shame on you fool me twice, shame on me etc” with the Metal Gear games whenever I expect something common to be in the game only to be completely different to what I thought it was going to be. And I typed not being all too sure if that made sense, sorry about that.
Anyway, I won’t truly believe David is gone until I play the game myself. In today’s world with the internet and the like I don’t see it being fully impossible that they would even try and trick the audience. Imagine if MGS2 came out today, remember when everyone was surprised when Raiden turned up and the game had completely changed it’s setting from an oil tanker to a cleanup facility? Anyway, I don’t see MGS2 being able to get away with that “Shock factor” in today’s world. But something makes me think The Phantom Pain will once again shock us with a mindblowing setup. And like I said above, one of The Phantom Pain’s main themes really does seem to be deception. Really, really vague game. But heavily intrigued, easily my most anticipated game of 2015.
stueeeee
If it’s not a twist then it’s a complete waste of time IMO.
Like u said, rub us up the wrong way.
ron_mcphatty
Aside from the massive disappointment, I can totally sympathise with Hayter’s tweet. He must be so hacked off with the legions of fans, mature and ridiculous alike, constantly pestering him about what sounds like the end of his Metal Gear involvement. Massive shame, he basically is Solid Snake and was most of what made up the Big Boss persona, no doubt Big Boss’s personality changes like Cathaloh says (and like the end of MGS4 reveals) but it’s a shame the voice change doesn’t match up with the evil shift.
Kennykazey
I find Hayters voiceacting in MGS1-3 to be cringeworthy. Haven’t played 4 yet.
hides under table
(like him in Castle of Cagliostro though)
a inferior race
I wonder how the words metal gear will sound.
3shirts
I never thought he was an amazing voice actor BUT his voice IS Snake to me. Changing him, especially for someone whose voice I recognise from other things, is bizarre and stupid. If it was a money saving thing I might understand but Sutherland is unlikely cheaper.