Roger Craig Smith announced this morning that he will return as the voice of Sonic the Hedgehog in future games.
“I can’t fully express my gratitude for the [Sonic the Hedgehog] crew and community,” Smith wrote on Twitter alongside a picture of a mended blue heart. “I hope to honor your support and passion.”
Smith surprised fans in January when he revealed he would no longer play Sonic. Neither he nor Sega provided a reason for this brief departure, but some fans speculated at the time that he was to be replaced by Ben Schwartz, who voiced Sonic in the 2020 live-action film. No Sonic projects have been released in those intervening months.
A veteran voice actor, Smith first took on the role of Sonic the Hedgehog in 2010’s Sonic Free Riders before going on to voice Sega’s speedy mascot in over a dozen games, including Sonic Colors, Sonic Generations, and multiple installments of the Super Smash Bros. series. He’s also voiced Sonic in animated projects like Sonic Boom and Wreck-It Ralph.
While the Sonic franchise has certainly had its ups and downs in recent years, Smith’s voice acting has rarely been an issue. Let’s hope future projects make good use of his talents.