While Naughty Dog is busy working on the studio’s next big project – Intergalactic – it is no secret that voicer actor Troy Baker will also be continuing his long-running relationship with the studio and return once more to voice a character in the game. In an interview with ComicBook, Baker spoke about the relationship he has with studio head Neil Druckmann.
In the interview, Baker spoke about how he often butts heads with Druckmann about various things, including the direction of his characters. Since he will be taking on the role of a supporting character in Intergalactic rather than a primary one, he also said that they still often clash with each other.
“We did two weeks ago, man. Neil and I will always, it’s our vibe,” said Baker. “We just love to butt up against each other. We were doing a table read, and I was literally like, ‘Why are you giving me s*** right now? I’m asking you a question!’ And everybody else is like, ‘Our mom and dad are fighting, are we still going to Disneyland?’ We’re fine. We’re fine!”
As for his role as a supporting character in Intergalactic, Baker also spoke about his expansive career throughout the video game industry. He noted his belief that he doesn’t “deserve or need anymore”, but is still grateful for the role he plays in the industry. He also spoke about all the things he had learned with his work on various projects, even if they might not have been ‘game of the year’ winners.
“I’ve had a hell of a career. This industry owes me nothing. What a ride. I don’t think that I deserve or need anymore,” Baker said.. “But I am enjoying it now, now that I understand more about game development, I enjoy the process more than I do the credit. And some of my games that I look back on and go, ‘Man, I learned so much on that,’ and they were not Game of the Year contenders. There’s no BAFTA nomination associated with it. My reward was in more ephemeral qualities than money or accolades, or even recognition. So I’m enjoying the position that I have, which I still feel is a very important position with Intergalactic.”
When it comes to his future, Baker compares his aspirations to having a career like acclaimed actor George Clooney, who is known for his incredibly diverse roles, ranging from protagonists to supporting characters.
“I want to be like George Clooney,” he said. “I want to have my Oh Brother, Where Art Thou? and my Michael Clayton, and some of his directing work too. He’s just an amazing person. The things that he’s able to create and the reason why he continues to be in things like Oceans 11, Up in the Air, or The American is because people just want to work with him.”
As for Intergalactic, there is currently no word on when the PS5-exclusive will be released. Druckmann has previously described it as being the “most ambitious”, “most expansive”, and “most expensive” game that Naughty Dog has made so far.
