2021 marks the 30th anniversary of Sonic the Hedgehog and, though it's still only the first month, fans are desperate for any news regarding Sega's plans. There were some teases last year, with Sega announcing new merchandise and a Sonic encyclopaedia but there has been very little about a new game. And now fans have been hit with a major piece of news and it's nothing to celebrate about.
Voice actor Roger Craig Smith, who plays Sonic himself, posted on his Twitter account earlier today "Welp, 10 years was an amazing run. Onward to new zones!" Though not a direct announcement, it's pretty clear that he will no longer be voicing the character from this point on.
At the time of writing, it's unknown where Smith chose to step down from the role of his own accord if Sega has decided to replace him. Regardless, fans are sad to see him go, with the replies being a mixture of shock, sadness, and fond farewells thanking him for his contributions to the Sonic the Hedgehog franchise.
Smith first took over the role of Sonic from the previous actor, Jason Griffith, in 2010, starting with Sonic Colors and Sonic Free Riders. While his slightly more adult-sounding voice for Sonic shook some fans and took some getting used to, he quickly became a fan-favorite.
His performance in the Sonic Boom cartoon is considered by many to be his best work throughout his tenure. Though the tie-in Wii U game, Rise of Lyric, was a critical and commercial failure, the comedy-driven TV show quickly garnered popularity for its humor and writing. Smith has been praised for how he portrayed Sonic in far more humorous circumstances throughout the show's two seasons. The joke below, where he quickly segues between his Sonic voice and regular speaking voice, is a particular highlight.
With a new Sonic game expected to release this year for the anniversary, it's entirely possible that it will serve as Smith's final appearance, assuming that he has already recorded his lines for it, though this is only speculation. Sega may have already recast the role and the next game will mark their debut.
Smith's departure also means that he won't be voicing the character in the supposed Netflix cartoon, which was prematurely announced last year. Details on that are incredibly scarce, but fans can probably expect the new actor for Sonic to lend their voice to the cartoon as well.
As for who will take over the role, Sega could feasibly give it to Ben Schwartz, who voiced the character in the live-action movie. It would make sense given how successful the movie was and Schwartz has demonstrated his voice acting chops in animated shows like DuckTales and Rise of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles.