Celebrity Voice Cameos in Games That Blow The Mind

With so many games now fully voiced, it can spark some joy when you hear a rogue celebrity you weren’t expecting!

Rogue Celebrity Voice Cameos in Games That Blow Our Mind

Vaguely familiar voices – we’ve all been there. We’re binge playing our new favourite game and during the cinematic cut-scene, you recognise the voice of the character. Sadly, you can’t quite put your finger on the name. It bugs you until you just have to pause your game and dig out IMDb.com to check. The answer shocks you, entertains you, or even infuriates you, because how could you not immediately know that voice?!

I’m not even on about the names you’d expect to find in gaming titles. Whilst we can all agree Mark Hamill is an absolute legend, it’s not a surprise when his name pops up in the credits, given his voice-over work goes as far back as the 1970s. On the other hand, seeing Rami Malek, usually a film and TV actor, in Until Dawn? That’s a curveball right there.

In August 2022, indie game Twelve Minutes was released, featuring the voice talents of James McAvoy, Daisy Ridley, and Willem Dafoe. A glitter cast all round, but what are Mr Tumnus, Rey, and the Green Goblin doing in a 12-minute time loop game?!

This got the Overclockers UK team thinking about other games with big-name casts and cameos. With much discussion amongst the team, we’ve put together a selection of celebrity gaming appearances that were Epic, a little bit Rogue, and just Downright Weird. Let us know in the comments below if you agree, disagree, or have your own contenders!

Two Starks and a PM

A natural place to start is with Sean Bean. His smooth, Yorkshire accent is an epic addition to any project he works on. I would switch to O2 if he was on the customer service line, as well as the adverts. So, imagine my utter surprise and delight when playing through Sid Meier’s Civilisation VI, hearing Sean Bean’s dulcet tones narrating the progress of my growing cities! No stranger to voice acting roles, he was also in Elder Scrolls IV. Although, in true Sean Bean style, his character did not survive to the next instalment. RIP every Sean Bean character ever.

Sticking with Westerosi alum, it’s rather rogue that our King in the North, Kit Harrington, stars as the antagonist in Call of Duty: Infinite Warfare. What makes this so odd, is that we’re used to seeing John Snow in a fantasy setting with swords, sorcery, and dire wolves. Not spaceships, guns, and high-tech armour. Plus, he’s John Snow (are you saying that in the accent too?). He was Game of Thrones’ moral compass. Yet, in CoD: Infinite Warfare, he’s the villainous Salen Kotch. He certainly has range!

Call of Duty: Infinite Warfare / Kit Harrington

What’s downright weird is seeing X-Files vet, Gillian Anderson, crop up in the sci-fi epic Squadron 42. Gillian Anderson is more recently associated with award-winning shows, like The Crown and Sex Education, very much being grounded in reality rather than her heyday as Scully. Whilst the game’s not technically released yet, the pledge-style purchasing and star-studded cast have drawn plenty of eyes to this ambitious project. Is this the future of gaming?

Double GTA and Fallout

We know and love Samuel L. Jackson for his extensive acting career. From the great MCU as Nick Fury to the questionable Snakes on a Plane, there is nothing he touches that cannot be turned to gold. So, hearing our favourite Kangol-hat-wearing actor crop up in GTA: San Andreas is nothing short of epic. He’s actually worked on a number of voice acting roles for both film and gaming, including Afro Samurai and revisiting his role as Mace Windu for Star Wars games. Absolutely iconic all round.

Grand Theft Auto San Andreas / Samuel L Jackson

When you say “Matthew Perry”, you immediately think Chandler, the sarcastic friend who couldn’t be any funnier. Turns out, Matthew Perry was a big fan of the Fallout series. As a result, he was offered a role in Fallout: New Vegas. (I wonder if he played from his very own Fallout noblechairs!) For someone who grew up watching Friends, it seems very rogue that Chandler Bing would appear in a big gaming franchise. But hey, if game studios are offering jobs to fans, who do I need to talk to about being in the next Harvest Moon?

What is utterly downright weird is that Phil Collins had a cameo in GTA: Vice City Stories. You’ve not misread that, no. Phil Collins – of Genesis fame, the man behind In The Air Tonight – was in Grand Theft Auto. Absolutely mind-blowing. He plays an exaggerated version of himself, and his manager is even voiced by Timothy Spall! What a time to be alive, eh?

Grand Theft Auto: Vice City Stories / Phil Collins

Making My Way Downtown

Terry Crews is one of those people you just can’t help but love. He’s a delightful addition to the Brooklyn 99 cast, iconic when he sings 1000 Miles, and I really do hope he loves “yo-gurt” as much as his character does. The latest instalment of the Crackdown franchise dropped in 2019, starring Terry Crews as Commander Jaxon. I’ll give you three guesses for what I am going to say next. Begins with an “e”. Can you blame me? This is the closest we’ll ever get to being Terry Crews.

Cyberpunk 2077 dropped in 2020, during the Keanu Reeves renaissance. Therefore, it comes as no surprise that he appeared in a game or two. What truly makes this a rogue choice is that the character he plays, Johnny Silverhand, is just Keanu Reeves with a metal arm. A surreal concept, in all honesty. Still, I love the man as much as anybody, and I’m still patiently waiting for Bill and Ted 3 to hit Netflix.

Now, you’d think Brutal Legend, a game about rock music starring Jack Black, couldn’t throw any casting curveballs. Legends from metal, like Ozzy Osbourne and Lemmy of Motorhead, are standard and expected cameos for a game of this nature. What’s downright weird is Tim Curry’s addition to the cast. Don’t get me wrong, the man is a legend. But whether you know Tim Curry as Pennywise, Nigel Thornberry, or Dr. Frankenfurt, you have to admit this is an odd place to hear him!

Otters and Dragons

Completely at home in a sprawling fantasy world, Charles Dance lent his voice to the ever-popular The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt. His deep voice in that quintessentially British accent is something to marvel at. Honestly, I could watch him give lectures as Tywin Lannister for hours. His commanding presence, even as only a voice, is more than enough to make his addition to this game truly epic.

The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt / Charles Dance

Spyro has been a popular game since it was first released in 1998. But did you know Elijah Wood voices the titular dragon in three of the games in the series’ history? He voiced the purple dragon for A New Beginning, Eternal Night, and Dawn of the Dragon. What makes this casting rogue for me is that Frodo Baggins and a little, purple dragon are voiced by the same man. Elijah Wood did not return for the remastered version of the original trilogy, however. So, he’s only been in those three games thus far. Instead, they recast the original voice of Spyro, Tom Kenny, for the remaster. As in, the voice of Spongebob Squarepants.

The final contender on this list is just completely bizarre, let alone downright weird. Death Stranding already has The Walking Dead’s Norman Reedus as the main character, but there’s also an interaction with a holographic version of talk show host, Conan O’Brien. It is otterly unbelievable. (Holler in the comments if you get that reference!) Honestly, I can’t even begin to explain this odd exchange. I think I need to rewatch that scene, perhaps a 4K resolution will make it more clear. Maybe in ultra-wide…

Best Gaming Hardware to Enjoy These Cameos

At Overclockers UK, we have all the gaming hardware you need to best enjoy all your games – whether they feature rogue cameos or not. From gaming PCs to monitors and audio hardware, we have the kit to elevate your gaming set-up.

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