It appears the Sonic the Hedgehog character is set to get a new voice as the character’s longtime actor Roger Craig Smith has seemingly announced his retirement from the role. Taking to social media, the established performer didn’t outright mention the marsupial blue speedster by name, but rather, heavily suggested his departure from the iconic SEGA persona after ten years.

Specifically, the actor’s post on Twitter recalled the “amazing run” of the past decade and how he plans to move “onward to new zones,” seemingly referencing Sonic’s “running” abilities as well as the “zones” (i.e. “Green Hill Zone”) featured in the games. Posting the image of a broken blue heart, Smith additionally mentioned the “honor” of portraying the character and expressed “much love to the fans who’ve been so kind.” The actor’s message was punctuated by a lone hedgehog emoji, signifying his time as Sonic the Hedgehog has ended.

Welp, 10 years was an amazing run.
Onward to new zones!

Much love to the fans who’ve been so kind.?

It’s been an honor.
? pic.twitter.com/7Rn9PVA92m

— Roger Craig Smith (@RogerCraigSmith) January 28, 2021

Roger Craig Smith first inhabited the role of the blue blur for 2010’s Sonic Colors, with the new casting fittingly coinciding with a return to form for the long-running series. Smith has since returned to voice the character for numerous follow-ups and spin-offs such as Sonic Team Racing, Sonic Forces, as well as the Sonic Boom animated series. In addition, his take on the character has also graced the likes of the Mario & Sonic Olympics games as well as the speedster’s debut in the Super Smash Bros. series.

As of now, it’s unknown why Roger Craig Smith left one of his most well-known roles and SEGA has yet to offer an official statement. However, while many fans are sure to miss his version of Sonic, the prolific performer is not exactly a stranger to landing big roles. Smith has portrayed the iconic likes of Ezio from Assassin’s Creed, Chris Redfield from Resident Evil, as well as DC’s Batman on several occasions. The hedgehog was most recently voiced by Ben Schwartz in the 2020 Sonic movie, but it’s unclear if he, or someone else, might take over the role for the games.

This is still my favorite line from your Sonic. Thank you for your service pic.twitter.com/oIaZoPQcil

— ?? Francisco Capellan? (@BY0SUke) January 28, 2021

What do you think? Are you bummed Roger Craig Smith may not be returning as Sonic the Hedgehog, or are you excited to see who may land the role in the future? Let us know in the comments below and be sure to follow Don’t Feed the Gamers on Twitter and Facebook to be informed of the latest gaming and entertainment news 24 hours a day! For more headlines recently featured on DFTG, check out these next few news stories:

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