Earlier today, Sony gave fans their first look at Uncharted 4 gameplay during their PlayStation Experience Keynote. The footage was trademark Uncharted, featuring returning hero Nathan Drake gallivanting through a jungle environment, albeit with some new tools (grappling hook!) at his disposal.

Although the Uncharted 4 footage seemed to focus on the visuals and animation afforded by the PS4 console, Naughty Dog did have a small story tease at the end of the demo. As we see Nathan finish his ascent he is greeted by his older brother, whom we then learn is joining Drake on his quest for treasure.

While that in itself was an intriguing reveal, more information has come to light since the footage premiered. More specifically, we now know whose famous (in the video game world, at least) dulcet tones were calling Nathan Drake little brother, and for fans it's a pretty cool reveal.

Some might have already recognized the voice, but just in case we can confirm that's Troy Baker voicing Drake's brother. It sounds like Nathan calls him Sam, but it's hard to make out exactly what the elder Drake's name is.

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This is a fun reveal for fans not only because of Baker's standing in the voice acting world, but also for his strong Naughty Dog and Nolan North connections. He has provided so many voices in so many high profile titles – from Shadow of Mordor to BioShock Infinite – that it's easier to keep track of games that Baker hasn't done a voice for. He's even become so ubiquitous that many call him the "next Nolan North."

Things get even more interesting when you consider that Baker provided the voice of Joel in The Last of Us, another Naughty Dog-developed game. They must have been fans of his performa In essence, it's Naughty Dog's old muse rubbing elbows with their new muse. Although, we should point out this isn't the first time North and Baker have acted against each other.

However, the inclusion of Baker is likely not just a clever nod to Naughty Dog fans, but also a smart casting choice for the developer. Baker is obviously familiar with Naughty Dog's expectations when it comes to mo-cap performance and while his voice may be well known he's no doubt a strong talent.

That's to say, if someone were to play Nathan Drake's brother, and be able to deliver strong emotion balanced with a playful sibling rivalry, we can think of no better choice than Baker. And if this is to be Drake's last adventure we suspect there will be plenty of highs and lows. We also wouldn't pass up a Nolan North/Troy Baker buddy adventure, anyway.

How do you feel about Troy Baker voicing Nathan Drake's brother in Uncharted 4? Would you like to see him become a new side character?

Uncharted 4: A Thief's End is set to release next year for PS4.

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Source: Troy Baker

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