When you think of iconic video game characters, the first that comes to mind is an Italian plumber with a red hat and blue overalls. Mario and his merry band of friends have been a mainstay of the gaming industry for decades since their release and are loved the world over. One man who helped launch the iconic plumber to international success is Charles Martinet, the man behind Mario’s voice.
However, like all good things, Martinet’s time with the video game character has come to an end, and he will be stepping down from his role – but that doesn’t mean he’ll be out of the spotlight.
We have a message for fans of the Mushroom Kingdom. Please take a look. pic.twitter.com/U1ASicOuTO
— Nintendo of America (@NintendoAmerica) August 21, 2023
The news broke when Nintendo officially announced on X, formerly known as Twitter, that Martinet would be “stepping back” as the voice of Mario, and for any other character in a Nintendo game. However, people should not despair, as the reason Martinet is stepping down is because he has been elevated to the role of ambassador for Mario. He will be travelling around the world and “sharing the joy of Mario.”
Many people seem to forget how much we will lose, as Martinet also voiced Luigi, Wario, and Walugi alongside their baby counterparts. Overall, this announcement came as quite a surprise, as a new Mario title, Super Mario Bros. Wonder, was just announced two months ago. Many assumed that this was Martinet’s final performance, but in a statement made by Nintendo to IGN, they said that this was not the case.
CONFIRMED: Mario & Luigi have NEW VOICES in Super Mario Bros. Wonder https://t.co/lZJgEFtPVC pic.twitter.com/dOd99ybHza
— GameXplain (@GameXplain) August 21, 2023
“While Charles is not involved in Super Mario Bros. Wonder, we’re excited to honour his legacy and contributions, including looking ahead to what he’ll be doing as a Mario Ambassador. Character voice actors will be credited in the game credits, so please wait for the game to be released,” – a Nintendo spokesperson said in a statement to IGN.
However, another thing to take note of is that Nintendo has not disclosed who will fill in the brown shoes left by Martinet, which is something we have to look forward to on Friday, 20th October 2023, when the game officially releases.
Sources: X, The Guardian, IGN, Wikimedia Commons, Wallpaper Flare
