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Acting is a fickle business, especially in an industry as ever-changing as video games. One minute, you’ve been the voice of an iconic character for 12 years. Next, you’ve been replaced by Kiefer Sutherland. That’s what happened for David Hayter, who says he’s forgiven Konami and Hideo Kojima for dropping him from Metal Gear Solid 5: The Phantom Pain and its prequel title. In fact, he’s finally gotten around to playing the games after a decade of avoiding them.

David Hayter was pretty upset when he was replaced by Kiefer Sutherland as Venom Snake in Metal Gear Solid 5: The Phantom Pain. He claimed that it would be “60 hours of humiliation” to play the game. However, time seems to have healed those wounds, and he’s admitted that he’s finally played the game nearly a decade after it was released.

“There was reluctance,” Hayter admitted. “I didn’t want to play the game because I figured it would hurt my feelings. Then, you know, 10 years went by and I was like, ‘Ah, to hell with my feelings. What do I care?’ I’m a screenwriter, so I get fired for a living – like, I literally, eventually, get fired from every single gig that I’ve got – and I’m not a child. I was like: ‘Stop being a baby and play the game.’ So, I played it. It’s amazing.”
Hayter even admitted that the game has become his favorite in the series, saying that the different routes you can take through the missions “feel like time travel.”

“So yes, that was badass,” Hayter said. “So far as I’m concerned, all is forgiven.”

The gaming industry has come a long way since Pong blew all our minds in the 70s. We've got everything you need to know about the next big thing in games. Of course, Grand Theft Auto VI is going to be the big game of 2026, but there are plenty of other games coming out between now and then. Here is our starter guide for every gamer:

• All upcoming games in 2025 and beyond
• Gamify My Life, our weekly gaming column designed
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• How to play every GTA game in order
• Why the GTA 6 budget isn't as crazy as you think
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