Konami treated us all to a pre-E3 show yesterday evening, highlighting some of the offerings it will show at the LA conference next week, and unveiling a surprise piece of news: that Metal Gear Solid 5: The Phantom Pain will star Kiefer Sutherland as the voice of Snake.
The iconic super-soldier has previously been voiced by David Hayter, who wished Sutherland well, but expressed his disappointment at being replaced on Twitter. "I can't thank you enough for all your support," he said to his followers. "Getting fired was never so heartwarming."
The Phantom Pain uses facial motion capture extensively, which perhaps explains why a more experienced actor was used for the role. Either way, Sutherland seems delighted to be involved. "I'm not even a gamer and even I knew about this game," he enthused. "I was certainly keenly aware of the legacy of these games, the unbelievable success of these games."
Sutherland was recommended to director Hideo Kojima for the role by movie producer Avi Arad, who claimed he was the ideal replacement. "Kiefer has this fantastic rich voice that maintains a level of mystery," said Arad. Kojima added "I was like, 'why didn't I think of that?'" when Arad suggested Sutherland.
The game is set to take place in 1984, with Snake as a 49-year-old. It's scheduled for release on PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 later this year, with Konami likely to reveal its launch date at E3.