Since its release in 2019 as a PS4 exclusive,Days Gonehas attained moderate success. After it won aGolden Joystick Award for PlayStation Game of the Year,developer SIE Bend Studio teased a potential sequel. However, any continuation toDays Gone’s story will never sound the same in some international releases. Portuguese voice actor Filipe Duarte, who portrayed Deacon in the first game, passed away on Friday. He was 46 years old.
Days Gonewas Duerte’s only role in a video game. Outside of the video game industry, Duarte had a long career as a film and TV actor. His last film,Nothing Ever Happened,is currently in post-production.
RELATED:Resident Evil 2’s Leon Voice Actor Passes Away
According to the Portuguese news siteSIC Notícias,Duarte died of a heart attack. In response to the news, SIE Bend Studio’s lead open-world developer Eric Jensen expressed his condolences on Twitter, stating that Duarte “was the voice of Deacon” for many Portuguese players and fans. PlayStation Portugal also paid tribute with a tweet that thanked Duarte and called him a hero “forever.” SeveralDays Gonefans responded with their own thoughts in the comments. Notably, American voice actor Sam Witwer, who played Deacon, also paid tribute in a Twitter response.
With his death, Duarte leaves behind a long legacy of excellent work. He made his TV debut in 1999, and won his first movie role in 2001. His work on the 2015 filmThe Invisible Lifewon him a Portuguese Golden Globe. Had he continued working in the video game industry, Duarte might have seen similar success as a voice actor. Outside of his role in the award-winningDays Gone,the voice actorhad a bright future ahead of him.
IfDays Gone 2is ever developed,SIE Bend Studios will need to recast the role of Deacon St. John. But Filipe Duarte’s work on the PS4 exclusive will not be forgotten. While Duarte’s death is tragic, fans can find the actor’s talent in his past work. When the community celebrates “Days GoneWeek” from April 20-26, hopefully, developers and fans alike will take some time to remember Duarte’s contribution to the game.
