Keith David has been trending over the past week and there’s a good reason for that: the nearly septuagenarian New Yorker has an impressive body of work in over 400 movies, shows…and gaming. And now he’s hetting a star of his own on the Hollywood’s world famous Walk of Fame.
Not only is his deep voice widely recognized in some of the most famous games in history, his delivery is also something uncommon: considering you’re not “seeing” the actor in gaming software, showing his acting chops by his deep, iconic voice alone is something that Keith David—and not many others—can do.
So, we took it upon ourselves to pay this little homage, and show you some of Keith David’s most iconic works in gaming. That, and the PRG crew has a weird love for Saints Row, which is the most incredible open-world shooter out there and GTA can kiss it: we’ll not hear otherwise.
Keith David in gaming: stuff that you knew (and some that you didn’t)
- Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2
- Destiny 2: The Final Shape
- Dissidia Final Fantasy
- Halo
- Mass Effect
- Saints Row
- Final thoughts: Do you even Keith, David?
Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2
Activision’s Call of Duty series is not known for its deep story and incredible acting. Well, to be completely, and bluntly, truthful, it has none of the two.
However, 2009’s Modern Warfare 2 had some major moments: it was the game that cemented Simon “Ghost” Riley as one of the most remembered characters in the industry of “pew-pew” games…and Keith David, who plays strict but loyal Sergeant Foley, the acting commander of Hunter Two-One, a squadron whose one of the coolest accolades is repelling ultranationalists in the beginning of World War III.
Not to get all political in a gaming content website, but there is something equal parts soothing and encouraging about beating the living daylights out of ultranationalists while hearing David’s voice screaming “Ramirez! Last mag! Make it count!”
Pure. Bliss.
Destiny 2: The Final Shape
The thing about Destiny…it never really grabbed me: don’t get me wrong, it is a great game, I just don’t see it on the same lens as most of its fans and that’s fine. I was, however, hooked by the late Lance Reddick’s voice work of Commander Zavala. And when the man passed away in March 2023, I was also hooked when Bungie announced Keith David as his replacement.
As a fan of the former and a fan of the latter, seeing David taking over Reddick’s and bringing the heavy gravitas that circles around Commander Zavala was equally emotional on both ends—and a testament of Keith David’s versatility in gaming: he didn’t own the role, but he made it his own in order to respect the legacy of a fallen colleague.
Dissidia Final Fantasy
There is something about all-powerful antagonists that, despite their absolute power, are able to convey their intentions in a calm, even prim demeanor. Such is the case with Chaos, final boss for both Dissidia Final Fantasy and Dissidia 012 Final Fantasy.
By Keith David’s voice, this villain is able to sustain that aura of “i-know-i-can-kill-you-before-your-next-heartbeat” but chooses to engage in indle conversation (the “idle” being “in how many ways I fully intend to destroy everything, everywhere”, but to each its own).
Even in the game’s final moments, when you’re about to face the God of Discord himself after derailing his plans time and time again, he is very angry at you, but refuses to engage in shouting match—if anything, he does little more than a (cosmic all powerful) dad giving his child some stern talking to.
Halo
When he voiced Arbiter Thel ‘Vadam in the Halo franchise, Keith David was already a well established cinema icon, using his powerful voice to not only give life and emotional range to the character, but also helping him set the background that would make the Arbiter one of the most important characters of the entire franchise.
The end result was one that most gamers know of. Over the course of five games, the Arbiter held several positions of large importance: the overarching antagonist of Halo: Reach and Halo: Combat Evolved, the main protagonist of Halo 2, the deuteragonist of Halo 3, and a supporting character of Halo 5: Guardians.
He even declared open the Halo World Championship in 2023, on the Arbiter’s well-recognized speech.
Mass Effect
Jennifer Hale and Mark Meer are the main voices behind Commander Shepard in the Mass Effect trilogy, but the friendship between the hero and its commander, Admiral Anderson, is truly one to behold when it comes to voice acting.
Meer and David’s synergy when delivering their lines is amazing not only because of the very smart screenwriting, but also when you consider the fact that the game has stories upon stories that, given the multiple choice scenarios in many of its parts, force the actors into emotional fluctuations that drive the point home, everytime.
By disagreeing with him, Anderson gets incredibly angry, like someone who just got betrayed, while when fighting side by side, Keith David’s tone is truly what sets him apart as one of gaming’s most iconic actors: Shepard is, to Anderson, like a son, and the scenes they play together under that context are both emotionally dense and incredibly relatable.
Saints Row
Not everyone has the ability to come back to a gaming franchise playing two different characters—one being, well, a satiric version of yourself— but Keith David is not everyone. Starting out a Julius on the first Saints Row, when the game was still serious about being the “GTA Killer” (and failing miserably), David’s acumen in acting ended up on backseat on Saints Row 2.
By the third and fourth installments, he was back…as himself. And in the fourth title, he really had the opportunity to shine, either by being a full on, loyal supporter of The President, or being his untimely traitor.
That, and laying a beating into wrestling legend Rowdy Roddy Pipper, which is always entertaining.
Final thoughts: Do you even Keith, David?
By now, you must’ve realized we’re Keith David stans here at PRG. Can you blame us, though? The man really knows his stuff, delivering lines on serious, dramatic, comedic and borderline idiotic roles—like himself on Saints Row, after the game found its niche on “being over the top as a business model”— with a borderline unequal capacity.
No wonder he’s on Hollywood’s Walk of Fame: at this rate, we’re more concerned of it not saying “Savala” or any of his other characters.
Here’s hoping Keith David continues to amaze us in gaming for years to come.
And you? What other thespians do you think deserve more recognition for their roles in gaming? Do you have a personal favorite? Let us know who and why in the comments!