Sonic The Hedgehog Voice Actor Is Returning To Games After Fan Outcry

Roger Craig Smith, widely known for his energetic portrayals of Chris Redfield in Resident Evil and Sonic, the Hedgehog in Sonic the Hedgehog, announced on May 26th that he would be returning to voice Sonic for upcoming content.

His future in the role was uncertain after he announced his retirement in January, so fans were ecstatic to learn that he would be coming back right around Sonic’s 30th anniversary in June of 2021.

Smith’s full tweet reads, "I can’t fully express my gratitude for the @sonic_hedgehog crew and community. I hope to honor your support and passion as I’m officially back, voicing #SonicTheHedgehog in games. Can’t wait for ya to see what we have planned! THANK YOU...from the bottom of my blue heart."

SEGA has already put up a website to celebrate the 30th anniversary of the retro character.

They’re offering a wide range of games, activities, and merchandise to go along with the momentous event.

While Smith’s first project after returning is still unclear, fans worldwide are looking forward to hearing him in Sonic the Hedgehog games for years to come.

Who Is Sonic the Hedgehog?

Along with Nintendo characters like Mario and Zelda, Sonic the Hedgehog is a key icon from the golden age of gaming.

As Sega started to compete with Nintendo in the home console arena, they needed a new character who could captivate audiences and pull them away from the Super Nintendo Entertainment System.

After testing various ideas, including a dog, a porcupine, and a mustachioed old man—later to become Eggman—they settled on a blue hedgehog who could curl up and roll through obstacles.

Sonic himself first appeared in Sonic the Hedgehog, a 1991 video game that was strongly associated with the Sega Genesis console.

That initial entry spawned a much larger series with entries on a wide range of consoles, handheld gaming systems, and mobile devices.

In fact, Sonic would later collaborate with his former foe Mario for the popular series Mario and Sonic at the Olympic Games.

While Sega no longer manufactures consoles, Sonic continues to appear in new games and remains one of the most beloved characters in modern video games.

Sonic was recently involved in a bizarre controversy when fans were confused by the character’s strange design in the live-action Sonic the Hedgehog movie.

The movie was delayed for several months as the team worked to create a more fan-friendly version of the iconic hedgehog.

Eventually, they settled on a more similar design to the video game character that fans are familiar with.

The updated design included much larger eyes for a less realistic feel that captured the game's spirit.

Who Is Roger Craig Smith?

Roger Craig Smith is an actor and voice actor who has appeared in various films, including Ghost in the Shell 2: Innocence, Resident Evil: Degeneration, Planes, and the Batman Unlimited series.

He has also portrayed Captain Marvel and Captain America in several animated Avengers movies.

Some gamers may recognize him as the voice behind Ezio Auditore da Firenze from Assassin’s Creed II, Assassin’s Creed: Brotherhood, and Assassin’s Creed: Revelations in the early 2010s.

Craig Smith has provided the voice for Sonic in a number of games over the past decade, including Sonic Free Riders, Sonic Colors, Sonic Generations, Sonic and All-Stars Racing Transformed, Mario and Sonic at the Sochi 2014 Olympic Winter Games, Super Smash Bros. 3DS, and many more.

With that being said, Sonic was voiced by Ben Schwartz in the live-action movie, which was finally released on Valentine’s Day 2020 in most movie theaters around the United States.

Sonic fans around the world were shocked by Roger Craig Smith’s May announcement that he would no longer be voicing the wildly popular hedgehog.

Now they can rest assured that he’ll be back to his usual role in the near future—even though he didn’t appear in the recent live-action movie.