Here's Who Fans Really Want To Take Over Sonic
Sonic fans suspected that Roger Craig Smith, Sonic's voice for the past ten years, would be leaving the franchise soon when he tweeted that he'd be moving on. Now, those fears have been confirmed, thanks to a statement from Sega. On Jan. 28, the official Sonic the Hedgehog Twitter account elaborated on Smith's departure, saying, "For over 10 years, Roger Craig Smith has been an integral part of the SEGA family. He brought the voice of Sonic to life, and we are forever grateful for his never-ending enthusiasm in helping the community and spreading joy. Thank you, Roger, for all you've done for Sonic."
Smith's tweet also reflected thankfulness for his time working with Sega, saying in typical Sonic fashion, "Welp, 10 years was an amazing run. Onward to new zones!" Many fans responded to the tweet with their well-wishes, thanking Smith for his years of service and posting clips of their favorite lines.
While Roger Craig Smith might be traveling on to new zones and projects, fans have some very specific ideas about who should replace him as the voice of Sonic the Hedgehog. Namely, Ben Schwartz, the voice of Sonic in the 2020 Sonic the Hedgehog movie, which ended up being the highest-grossing video game film ever.
Some fans made the argument that Sonic's voice should have some continuity between the movies, games, and TV shows associated with the brand. Other Twitter users speculated about Schwartz's involvement because of his affiliations with Netflix and rumors of an upcoming Sonic the Hedgehog Netflix show.
Some Sonic fans expressed skepticism, however, because Schwartz might prove more expensive than other voice actors due to his experience on television and in film. Even though the Parks and Recreation star seems like a good fit for the character (especially given the movie's success), his price range might be out of Sega's budget.
Some fans just can't believe Smith's time as Sonic is over, or that his appearance as the character was in Puyo Puyo Tetris 2. @OntheDownLoTho tweeted, "Can't believe [this is] the last thing I'm gonna remember Roger Craig Smith's Sonic voice saying," along with a clip of Smith saying, "Puyo Puyo Tetris 2!" in an enthusiastic tone.
Sega has listened intently to Sonic fans in the past, so it's possible that it'll pick up on fans' hints that they want Schwartz to permanently take on the role of the world's favorite blue hedgehog.