June 2018 – Page 118

Snake? Answer me! Snake? Snaaaaaaake!

Metal Gear Solid fans — or at least fans of the Western releases of the series — were likely wondering something when it was revealed this morning that the upcoming Super Smash Bros. Ultimate would include all prior Smash characters, including Solid Snake from Super Smash Bros. Brawl… who’s voicing this upcoming version of Snake?

David Hayter voiced the character until Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain, where he was unceremoniously replaced by Kiefer Sutherland (even though that was Big Boss and not Solid Snake, Hayter had still voiced an earlier version of Big Boss — Naked Snake — in Metal Gear Solid 3). Hayter’s distinctive voice work had become iconic to the character in the West (in Japan, all versions of the character are voiced by Akio Ōtsuka) and his departure was jarring for many fans.

Snake’s Smash incarnation appeared before The Phantom Pain, and included voice work from Hayter. Now with Snake’s return to Smash, does that mean Hayter is returning as well? Indeed it does. In an interview with Game Informer, Nintendo of America’s Bill Trinen and localization manager Nate Bihldorff gave a few clues as to Snake’s voice in Super Smash Bros. Ultimate. While it is left unclear if Hayter has done any new recording for Ultimate — or if it is simply voice material reused from Brawl — they did confirm that it will be his voice in the game. Hayter himself has also offered a short but definitive confirmation:

Ok…

Yes, it’s me. #SuperSmashBros https://t.co/m7l9ANmPDc

— David Hayter (@DavidBHayter) June 12, 2018

Snake had a significant amount of character-specific dialogue in Brawl, so it remains to be seen if that will make the transition to Ultimate. But fans of Hayter’s gravel-voiced take on Solid Snake can rest easy!