I think Kojima and Hayter are trolling us, just like suggested by that link to the blog someone posted earlier!
When I heard Hayter wasn't gonna be voicing Snake, the first thing that crossed my mind was "David Hayter asked too much money".
How terribly wrong I was. I really, really should know better than that. He is a big fan of the series, he wrote a movie screenplay for it, he took a paycut to bring back the staff from MGS1 to Twin Snakes. The man appeared in the live action intro of MGS 4. He has voiced Snake in Super Smash Bros, for chrissakes!! I already knew all this things!
Hell, does anyone know if Solid Snake's name being David is just a coincidence? (I always assumed it to be a homage to Mr. Hayter, but I don't know if it predates his envolvment with the series)
He is a great guy (from where I stand, anyway) and never would have pulled a Sean Connery on us!
Then I put the blame on Kojima. But really, he isn't stupid. What would be the reason for him to do that?
Don't give me that "I got tired of the voice" or "new direction in the series", 'cause it makes no sense. Too sudden, too radical. Too gratuitous.
To me, the answer is either very good or very bad!
GOOD: Kojima is playing Hayter very close to the chest for a Solid Snake cameo.
Then people said "but it's the mid 80's, he would be a teenager". Good call, really. But, remember, he would be A TEENAGER WITH ACCELERATED AGING!
We saw Old Ocelot and young Psycho Mantis (I haven't got a single doubt in my mind about those two on the trailer). We are witnessing the birth of Fox Hound. It is time for "Les Enfants Terrible" to show up!
And I also think that "V" may be the 4th clone of Big Boss (that already being brought up also). So the voice can be different.
Anyway, the good version is that the change is completely story related.
VERY BAD: Kojima has been talking on and off about a Metal Gear movie for what? 10 years now? Maybe someone knows better about the status of the project. IIRC it was supposedly (and thankfully) cancelled.
Nonetheless, it is possible that the movie ain't that much dead. And Kojima cast some hot shot hollywood actor for the leading role. Remember, it is Hideo Kojima, master of deception, that we are talking here!
So he may have decided to put this guy voice acting Snake on the game, so that when he goes to the silver screen the fans (me included) will not be complaining about the fact that we prefer Hayter's Snake.
Otherwise, there is NO SENSE in "rebranding" the main character.
Everyone loves what we have. We want more of it. Hayter is a reasonable guy, passionate about the material, and has shown that he is ready to compromise for the benefit of the franchise (the whole Twin Snakes ordeal).
If really there isn't any good story-related reason for not having David Hayter in the starring role, I'm calling it now: Kickstarter for a fan-made PC mod with David Hayter himself as the VA! (yeah, it sound illegal, but can't a man dream?)
