Konami has confirmed via their pre-E3 2013 conference that actor Kiefer Sutherland will be the voice behind Snake in Metal Gear Solid 5: The Phantom Pain, replacing series veteran, David Hayter. Besides his voice, Sutherland will also provide facial capture for the character.
Series creator Hideo Kojima explains the reason behind this switch, “This time, with Metal Gear Solid V, the themes are a little different from previous games in the series”. He further added, “We’re taking on some very heavy subjects such as race and revenge. I wanted Snake to have a more subdued performance, expressed through subtle facial movements and tone of voice rather than words.”
“The game takes place in 1984, when Snake is 49 years old. Therefore, we needed someone who could genuinely convey the facial and vocal qualities of a man in his late 40′s.”
Sutherland, best known for his role as Jack Bauer in the TV series 24 had this to say, “It’s an honor to be able to play this character, [Snake] has an unbelievable legacy. I’m not a gamer and I even knew about this game. I was certainly keenly aware of the legacy of [Metal Gear] and the success of these games.”
For more on E3 2013, check out check out IVG’s E3 general discussion thread.