10 Surprising Voice Actor Recasts in Video Games

10 Voice Actor Recast in Video Games

Welcome to MojoPlays, and today we are looking at the chopping block to see who got cut. This is 10 Voice Actor Recasts in Video Games. As it turns out, there’s 100 reasons an actor could be replaced in a sequel project or spin-off title - scheduling, drama, or even just a weak performance. The cut is always dirty, but it’s ALMOST always for the best. Let’s have a look!

Ghost

“Destiny” (2014)

We may as well start with the big daddy! Peter Dinklage, known for his role as Ghost in the original Destiny game, was replaced due to a combination of factors. While Dinklage's performance received mixed reviews, the primary reason for his replacement was reportedly scheduling conflicts. This is totally conjecture, and I say this with peace and love, but I call bull****. The demands of his other commitments made it challenging for him to return for Destiny's subsequent expansions and updates. Bungie, the game's developer, decided to re-record Ghost's lines with Nolan North, a seasoned voice actor, for consistency and to ensure continuity throughout the game's ongoing development. North's performance brought a fresh interpretation to the character, but then again, it was nice to get an interpretation at all.

Frank West

“Dead Rising 4” (2016)

Here’s an example of a voice actor replacement that actually disappointed fans, not made them rejoice (sorry Peter Dinklage, I promise that’s my last dig). Ty Olsson replaced T.J. Rotolo as Frank West in "Dead Rising 4." While Olsson injects energy and wit into the role, his portrayal differs preeeetty significantly from the original and beloved rendition. Instead of Rotolo's vibrant, higher-pitched delivery, Olsson opts for a deeper tone, altering Frank's essence, which is a bold move, even from a seasoned pro. This adjustment sometimes veers Frank into the realm of a generic action hero rather than his trademark witty persona. Change sometimes ISN’T as good as a holiday.

James Sunderland

“Silent Hill 2” (2001)

Nolan North and Troy Baker stand out as two of the most prolific and beloved male video game voice actors in the industry, knocking out roles like Nathan Drake, Joel Miller, and the brothers Magni and Modi from God of War. However, some Silent Hill fans expressed dissatisfaction when Baker replaced Guy Cihi as the protagonist in the second game of the 2012 HD collection. While Baker's performance wasn't criticized for its quality, many fans believed he didn't fully capture the essence of the character as Cihi had. Then again, there are those who believed Cihi gave one of the most lackluster, boring, and overanalyzed performances ever recorded, but that’s just my opinion… I MEAN SOMEONE ELSE'S OPINION!

Xehanort/Ansem

“Kingdom Hearts” (2002)

Occasionally, voice actor changes occur without any official explanation, leaving fans and gamers to speculate wildly about the reasons behind the switch, and when you let gamers speculate, they gonna speculate. This set of circumstances is made a hell of a lot worse when the new actor is widely considered not as good, prompting calls for the return of the previous actor. Well, in the Kingdom Hearts series, this happened with Xehanort/Ansem. Initially voiced by Billy Zane, the role was then passed to veteran voice actor Richard Epcar. While both actors brought their own strengths to the character, and although there was seemingly a call for Billy to return, there was also a dedicated Epcar fanbase who enjoyed his performance better. Additionally, Leonard Nimoy briefly assumed the role in Birth by Sleep, adding a unique touch to the character's development. AND ALSO, did you know Dan Castelleneta (the voice of Homer Simpson) voiced The Genie? It’s not related to this entry at all, but I just found that out during research and I had to tell someone.

Garret

“Thief” (2014)

The one thing that really throws fans of a game into a tizzy is when a game attaches a voice actor to a character for a LONG TIME and then switches them. Fans were divided when the studio opted to replace Stephen Russell as the voice of Garrett, a role he had portrayed for the three games prior. The decision stemmed from the studio's desire to find a performer capable of simultaneously handling both motion capture and vocal duties, and also interact with other cast members during scenes physically, enhancing the overall authenticity of the performance. The reason is pretty good when you actually think about it, so... Might be worth letting go of this, gang.

Mario/Luigi

“Super Mario Bros. Wonder” (2023)

Everybody knows Charles Martinet. He’s a voice acting legend, having voiced Super Mario for pretty much everyone's entire life, but there’s still a shocking amount of people who don’t realize that he also voiced Luigi. Luigi made his vocal debut in Mario Kart 64 after previously being silent. Since then, Charles Martinet has remained the definitive voice of Luigi, consistently portraying the character in subsequent releases. But, every superhero needs to eventually hang up their cape, and after his very well documented retirement, he was replaced in Super Mario Bros. Wonder by Kevin Afghani who has now taken over the famous brothers.

Cloud Strife

“Final Fantasy VII Remake” (2020)

In the original version of Final Fantasy VII, Cloud didn't have a voice, except in my mind, every time I read his dialogue. But, he has been voiced in various video game appearances since then. His first speaking role in Western releases occurred in Kingdom Hearts in 2002, with Steve Burton providing the voice. Burton continued to voice Cloud in 12 subsequent appearances, which if it’s not already clear, means he did a pretty f***ing good job. Therefore, it was unexpected when Cody Christian was announced as the voice of Cloud in Final Fantasy VII Remake, especially since he had never portrayed a major video game character before. Luckily for him, he crushed it, so we don’t need to tear his eyes out, guys. As you were.

Bayonetta

“Bayonetta 3” (2022)

Originally it was documented that a scheduling conflict was cited as the reason for Jennifer Hale replacing Hellena Taylor as the titular character in Bayonetta 3. However, Taylor later broke her NDA a few weeks before the game's release, taking to Twitter to share her side of the story through a series of videos - and for those who don’t know what an NDA is, it’s essentially a “shut up” contract. In these videos, she alleged that she hadn't reprised the role due to being offered a mere $4,000. This amount, she claimed, was a revised offer following her personal communication with the game's director, Hideki Kamiya, who also holds the position of vice president at Platinum Games. What a d***head.

Leon Kennedy

“Resident Evil” Series (1998-)

Leon Kennedy can’t seem to hold on to a voice actor, and to be honest, it’s never really for any dramatic reason. The character's first voice actor was Paul Haddad, who voiced the role in the initial release of Resident Evil 2. Following him, Paul Mercier took over the role in Resident Evil 4 and several spin-off titles. However, Matthew Mercer succeeded Mercier for the series' sixth installment. Although Mercer continued to feature in a few spin-offs and movies, he didn't return for the Resident Evil 2 remake in 2019. Instead, Nick Apostolides stepped into the role for the remake. Leon Kennedy has had more voices in his head than me... I’m very unwell.

Snake

“Metal Gear Solid V: Ground Zeroes” (2014)

I need to get something out of the way first and foremost, because almost every piece of research I’ve looked at when writing this entry states “Venom Snake isn't identical to either Big Boss or Solid Snake, leading some to argue that replacing David Hayter for Metal Gear Solid V was justifiable.” But, JUST SO WE’RE CLEAR, and I hate to go all Kojima-nerd on y'all, Big Boss was just Big Boss in Ground Zeroes. This was before the explosion that caused the Big Boss/Venom Snake double up situation. ALSO, Keifer Sutherland still voiced the real Big Boss at both the beginning and end of The Phantom Pain, so this argument that replacing him because it’s a different Snake is incorrect, because when it wasn’t a different Snake, IT WAS STILL A NEW VOICE ACTOR. I’ve used up all my words on that rant so let’s make this quick. Solid Snake and Big Boss were infamously voiced by David Hayter. Hideo Kojima had been trying to replace him for years with Kurt Russel for no apparent reason. David Hayter was tossed aside like day old beer, and replaced with Keifer Sutherland, because Kojima loves sucking the farts of Hollywood celebs. Take a peak at his instagram and tell me I’m wrong. Mic drop, Mat out.