In early April, veteran voice actor Rick May died after contracting COVID-19. May was known for his work in Star Fox 64 as Peppy Hare, and the actor also played the Soldier character in Team Fortress 2. As a memorial, Valve has included a tribute to May in the game’s latest update.
Listed only as “a tribute to Rick May, voice of the Soldier” in the game’s patch notes, the latest Team Fortress 2 update erected statues on the game’s maps as well as a changed main menu theme. Players have been hearing May’s voice lines since the game launched over 12 years ago.
Some players have decided to pay tribute to May in Team Fortress 2 themselves, as well, choosing to play as Soldier and holding a ceasefire when a match begins. Instead of firing at each other, they instead fire their weapons up into the air while standing at one of the statues. Others have used Source Filmmaker to create their own short films paying tribute to him.
May’s role as Peppy Hare is equally iconic as his Team Fortress 2 role, and many of Star Fox 64’s famous catchphrases were delivered by him. These include the infamous “Do a barrel roll,” which has become a meme in its own right. It was the only game in the series with his voice acting, and a different person has played the character in each subsequent Star Fox game.
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