Is Charles Martinet voice acting in Starfield?

Bethesda's latest RPG adventure, Starfield, is available to play via early access and has largely seen a positive reception. This is the biggest game developed by the Fallout and Elder Scrolls makers, meaning this studio hired some very high-profile voice actors for it. As a result, certain fans might wonder if Super Mario VA Charles Martinet is on board as well.

An interesting fact that many players may not know is that Martinet has featured in the most popular Bethesda game to date, The Elder Scrolls 5: Skyrim, where he voiced the dragon Paarthurnax. So, since many voice actors from past Bethesda titles are also returning for Starfield, does he make the cut, too?

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Does Charles Martinet return to voice characters in Starfield after Skyrim?

Unfortunately, Charles Martinet hasn't voiced any characters in Starfield. So far, a variety of VAs have been confirmed by publisher Bethesda as having worked on this new title. These include major names like Elias Toufexis of Deus Ex fame and Armin Shimerman who has voiced in a variety of games, from Death Stranding to Psychonauts 2. So, there is no shortage of talent here.

Charles Martinet's absence from this title is a shame, as the Mario voice actor did an excellent job voicing the Greybeards' leader in The Elder Scrolls 5: Skyrim.

Recently, this VA revealed that he is taking a step back from his voice acting career — at the very least, for Nintendo. Simply put, he will no longer be the voice of Mario in new Nintendo titles.

In fact, the upcoming Super Mario Bros. Wonder is already confirmed to be featuring new voice actors for the eponymous character and other beloved denizens of the Mushroom Kingdom that Charles Martinet previously gave life to. He has a surprisingly large range for voice acting, so his playing a sentient alien being or another major NPC could have worked well.

For those interested in which voice actors are featured in Starfield, check out our full list of characters and their voice cast.

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What other third-party, non-Nintendo games and media has Charles Martinet featured in?

While Nintendo games are his bread and butter, Charles Martinet has an impressive track record under other scenarios, too. Besides Parthumaax in The Elder Scrolls 5: Skyrim, he also featured in the PlayStation 3 exclusive Ratchet & Clank Future: A Crack In Time as Orvus.

He has appeared in Jet Set Radio Future as Gouji Rokkaku, Star Wars: X-Wing Alliance as Admiral Holtz, and Skies of Arcadia as Vigoro. But his efforts are not exclusive to major outings. Various indie and smaller-budget games featured him, like Runner3 (as the narrator), Kane & Lynch: Dead Men (as Vaultbreaker), and The Lord of the Rings: The Third Age (as Gimli).

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Starfield will be out for PC and Xbox Series X|S platforms on September 6, 2023, though Premium Edition owners can enjoy the game right now via early access.