John-ShepardAs most of you know by now, the voice of Snake in the legendary Metal Gear Solid franchise won't be returning for Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain , a fact many long-time followers have found difficult to swallow.
Series creator Hideo Kojima was quoted as saying they wanted to make "a new type of Metal Gear game," but that didn't appease the fans. Now, the actor himself, David Hayter, has elaborated on the unfortunate situation at his Twitter page .
In the summary, Hayter explains that when he heard Konami was putting together recording sessions for the new MGS entry, he hadn't heard from the publisher. So he contacted them, "got together for lunch," and he was informed that they wouldn't need him on this game. They didn't provide an explanation as to why. Hayter has been playing the role of Snake for nearly 15 years and if he had his way, he'd "do this role forever." And to hear another actor voice Snake actually makes him "a little ill."
Hayter does understand that Konami and Kojima have the final call and he admits that this is fair. He also adds that he isn't "lacking for employment on any level." Still, his final words are kinda heartbreaking for ardent MGS followers, as they bring back a rush of memories:
"But I didn’t want anybody to think that I was intentionally abandoning them. And know that I will miss this job, and this character, very much."
Just too bad, really.