Destiny 2 is one of today’s most influential space games, and it’s largely due to how well-written Bungie’s cast of characters is. From Osiris to Commander Zavala, Destiny 2 has a variety of iconic faces beloved by fans from all over the globe. Lance Reddick, the English voice of Zavala, passed away unexpectedly earlier this year. A new voice actor will now take on the role, and many long-standing Bungie fans may recognize his name from Halo.
Bungie just announced that Keith David, a voice actor known for his role as The Arbiter in the Halo series, will take over in Destiny 2 as Commander Zavala. Keith is also known for his role in critically acclaimed films such as The Thing. In a post detailing the change, Bungie explained how “Keith David, a prolific actor on the stage and in television, film, and games, will assume the English language voice of Zavala in The Final Shape and beyond.”
The new actor will not replace Zavala’s previous lines, as Bungie clarified that Lance Reddick’s “existing lines in-game will remain untouched for the upcoming release.” Bungie also wrote about the late voice actor. “The passion and professionalism Lance brought to the role over the last decade was unmistakable and loved by all.”
Bungie further honored Reddick, writing, “Lance’s iconic voice led us through the most intense moments in Destiny’s history and his impact on our Guardians, our community, and Bungie as a whole will never be forgotten.” David himself also spoke out about his new role as Zavala, expressing his own thoughts on the change.
“I am honored to continue the great work of Lance Reddick as Zavala. Lance captured the character’s sense of integrity so wonderfully,” the new voice of Zavala stated. “It is my intention to continue that work.” It seems that both Bungie and Keith feel strongly about Reddick’s profound talent, as the company ended its announcement by declaring, “We will always remain respectful to the role Zavala has played thus far, and look forward to the journey ahead.”
If you are just as happy to see Reddick’s legacy honored by a fellow Bungie veteran and love Destiny 2 as much as we do, then you may be looking for game guides to help you on your way as you continue to play. Check out our rundown of the best Destiny 2 builds to aid you as you raid, or look through our in-depth guide on the Destiny 2 class system.