David Hayter on his role as Snake: ‘I tried to do something very specific with this character’

In an interview with JoypadAndMe David Hayter talked about the Metal Gear series and the role of Snake, as well as answering questions sent in by fans. The interview is pretty long and also addresses the gaming industry as a whole and other projects Hayter is involved in, but here are some of the more relevant Metal Gear related parts.

[randomass171]

And he did it so well IMO. I miss him being Snake. :(

[Omar91]

Yea I agree, I don't understand when people say that he started loosing is "touch" after metal gear solid 1. I thought he did an exceptional job in every metal gear solid game even 4 which is where he gets the most hate from apparently.

Snake sounds like shit in 4, yes I think that was done intentionally because, well… if you played it he's dying!! he's decomposing, he's not gonna sound like he did in 1 where he was in his prime. I don't think many people understand that.

[Ritsujun]

RIP, DH.

[randomass171]

You're very right Omar! In 4 his gravelly voice is due to Snake's accelerated aging and rapid molecular deterioration. Whether or not you like the voice, I don't think anyone can deny Hayter's delivery was so good in that game. Everyone did such a great job. It makes me really question why Kojima would ever consider replacing anyone in 5. Guess marketing took precedence over substance. :(

[Thisisjuju]

Im with you here, I really think Hayter is Snake. Just like Michael Ironside is Sam Fisher.

[Heisenburger]

Kevin Conroy, ect ect.

[e-p-ayeaH]

was...

[Rodney25]

Dude I was always thinking there some game VO conspiracy with Hayter and Ironside. Two iconic voices changed for no reason.

[turgore]

lol imagine if (a younger)solid snake shows up and hayter voices him.

[-Foxtrot]

Thats why Keither Sutherland sucks....his heart isn't in it.

Reads Lines

Do Mo Cap

Get paid

Thats it for him. Hayter on the other hand respected the games and loved the character it's why he kept coming back. It gained him a bigger following and he's thankful for that

Still don't see why Kojima couldn't replace the Japanese voice actor instead for mo cap.

[Omar91]

I get what your saying but wouldn't that be the same situation if they changed the japanese voice actor? then the japanese version will have a different voice actor and everyone would be pissed off in japan. Unless of course the current voice for snake in japan can act. then I see what your saying.

[-Foxtrot]

Japans voice actor fanbase is smaller then the rest of the world.

Most people know Hayter then the Japanese actor.

[SoulWarrior]

It's just Kojima's bs reason I think that annoyed people more, yet doesn't change the Japanese VA... I wasn't impressed with Sutherland in GZ, thought he sounded extremely bland.

[-Foxtrot]

@CaptainSellers

Going by all the trailers, gameplay vids, walkthroughs I've seen for the game he just sounds like himself

If I close my eye I envision Jack Bauer more, not Snake

[BlackWolf12]

Yeah I totally agree. He definitely is very detached from the character, and as you said, just reads the lines.

[thehitman]

Here comes the Q.Q brigade. New actor get over it lol.. its been how many years?

[WeAreLegion]

They're paying a well known actor more money to do a bad impression of the guy who used to voice him.

They're wasting money. Nobody in the world cares that Keifer Sutherland is voicing a character. We care about the quality of the voice acting.

[thehitman]

Neither impressions make or break snake lol... like I said people need to get over it.. its just a voice. Its not like they are replacing a character like Mario with some deep voice instead of the high squeaky voice.

[bloop]

It's not just a different voice actor. His voice was the character. It would be like someone else doing Cartman in South Park. Just wouldn't be the same.

[konnerbllb]

Good voice acting can make or break the experience. Imagine if Joel and Ellie had new voice actors in tlou 2 that didn't do a good job imitating their former voices. It would bother you for the entire game.

[Pozzle]

Yeah, but it's not "just a voice". Voices are an important part of bringing a character to life.

Take Sesame Street for example...the Count has a new voice actor who barely puts on an accent and doesn't do the "ha ha ha" laugh. It might as well be a completely different character. :(

[adventureghost124]

David Hayter has been in this since PS1 in 1998...Its been over 15 years he was in this up until now, kojima just said, you know what lets westernize everything, get the shitty more well known actor, Oh Hayter? Screw him The money man THE MONEY

[e-p-ayeaH]

the hate is blinding you big boss sounds more serious now IMO

[adventureghost124]

Oh, ok sure, that's it, completely disregard everything I am trying to point out because You think he sounds more serious. Not that Hayter was more involved in the role. Not that Kojima pretty much abused him, didn't even bother to tell him he wasn't returning. Not that 95% of the fan base cared about him and thought he was better. Not even that at the very least they could have offered him a voice over. Seriously?

[thehitman]

What is not western about David Hayter?? I must be missing something. They decided to change voice actors and they did its been like you said 15 years he had his run now let it go sheesh. I loved MGS4 and have it in my top 5 games on PS3 but I dont go omg if it wasnt for David Hayter the game wouldve been crap lol. Never even enters my mind the game will be dictated on story telling and gameplay not somebodys voice. I think people had a legit concern over DMC Dante Change but this now people are just being a tad crazy. At some point you just gotta draw a line on what is worth complaining about.

[overlord23]

HEY get this man back Mr.Kojima he put life into Snake.
Mr.Sutherland sounds lifeless to me in ground zeros if your going to make so much money from this game maybe you do an extra voice over with David Hayter like most people want.

[bloop]

It's a total half assed performance from Sutherland. Hayter was such an intense motherf***er. I have no idea what Kojima was thinking when he thought this was a good idea. Such a shame. Snake will never be the same again.

[SnakeCQC]

Sutherland is a 6 out of ten while hayter is off the scale

[adventureghost124]

Hayter is love, Hayter is lyfe

[SG1_dapunisherX]

come back david hayter!!!!!

[porkChop]

I got $10 back on PSN from buying inFamous, so I bought Ground Zeroes as it really only cost me $20. The game itself isn't that bad, pretty short though. But Kiefer's voice honestly ruins the entire experience. He has no emotion whatsoever, and the entire personality of Big Boss is gone. It's a whole different character.

If they don't bring David Hayter back for MGS V then I will not be purchasing the game.

[Summons75]

I really feel, or want to believe, that Hayter is coming back. Maybe not as Big Boss but as Solid and will have a big role. I agree though, Sutherland didn't do BB justice, rushed lines, and lifeless whispering. That's not Snake at all. Sutherland is a good actor but clearly never touched a MGS in his life to know the character develop.

[e-p-ayeaH]

Same applied with David Hayter with MGS1

[BlackWolf12]

Sutherland admitted that himself, that he had never played any of the games.

The moment I heard that, I immediately knew it would be crap. And it was.

[Blacklash93]

I'll never get why the gaming industry likes hiring these Hollywood actors so much. They usually don't do a better enough job to warrant the larger amount of money they require for their time. Developers should be looking for professional VA talent, and there's plenty of it already in the industry.

[e-p-ayeaH]

Big Boss needs a darker voice like sutherland ,hayter just ruins the atmosphere to build up a darker snake.

Some even say that Ground Zeroes is just a simulation and youre playing as someone else! which is plausible

[Anddo]

Sounds like you're making excuses honestly

[BoNeSaW23]

Kojima can keep Sutherland as Big Boss but if Hayter is not back as Snake in MGS:V I WILL NOT be purchasing it in protest. A weekend rental will do!

[Delsin_Rowe]

You know Naked Snake is Big Boss. There 4 Snake; NAKED SNAKED AKA BIG BOSS, SOLID SNAKE, LIQUID SNAKE, SOLIDUS SNAKE. Hayter voice Naked Snake Aka Big Boss and Solid Snake. MGSV is about Naked Snake aka Big Boss story

[BlackWolf12]

Actually Liquid and Solidus were never called Snake. Well, Solidus SORT of was.

[BoNeSaW23]

I did not know MGS:V was all about Big Boss! I should have known :\ So no appearance of Solid Snake in V?

I knew someone else voiced him in MGS 4 which I didn't mind. But both characters were in the game.

I Still don't think this was a wise move by Kojima.

[Delsin_Rowe]

Hayter is Snake and always will be Snake. His Voice give character to Snake and His voice is a Icon.

[Inception]

Still the one and only Snake to me and Kiefer voices really bland and it almost ruined the image of Snake :(

[beebap]

He doing big boss naked snake you know not solid snake which I think will be in game too voiced by Hayter. Just imagine half the game is big boss and then half totally different time period with snake and maybe big boss too.