Darkest Dungeon’s beloved narrator Wayne June has now passed away. Read on to find out more about the tragic news.
Darkest Dungeon’s Narrator Wayne June Has Passed
The Ancestor And The Academic Lives On
The voice behind the narrator in the Darkest Dungeon series, Wayne June, has passed away. June’s passing was announced on several Darkest Dungeon social media platforms, as well as the game’s official website. As of writing, there is no publicized information as to what caused his death.
The news detailed how Darkest Dungeon creative director Chris Bourassa and developer studio Red Hook co-founder Tyler Sigman reached out to Wayne, asking him to narrate the first title’s trailer. From then on, it has been an "incredible and fulfilling collaboration." He praised June’s iconic baritone voice which had a certain magnificence to it, elevating everything that he narrated. "He was a consummate professional, and his love of his craft was an inspiration. His inimitable work is woven into the very fabric of our industry in a way that cannot be forgotten. It is one of my greatest honors to have written for him this past decade. Though I never got to shake his hand, I knew him to be a friend. Thank you, Wayne," the tweet concluded.
Bourassa shared to PC Gamer that he first found out about June through his readings of H.P. Lovecraft audiobooks, which he regularly listened to up until Red Hook’s founding. He even lent the CDs to Sigman, who was also entranced by the voice talent’s reading that brought the book’s world to life. It was because of this encounter that they thought they should get June’s voice for Darkest Dungeon.
"I think more verbatim, it was, 'We should get somebody like Wayne June to narrate the trailer.' Then we thought—wait, Wayne June reads stuff for a living! Maybe he would do it! The work of course was so good that we decided to add a narrator to the game itself," they said. June’s voice then became a central part of Darkest Dungeon’s identity, which he brought on over to the second installment.
Fans sent in their deepest condolences, thanking him for his contributions in making their Darkest Dungeon experiences more engaging and enjoyable. Many praised his iconic voice, referencing his quotable quotes in game in their replies as well. Some shared that they even find themselves randomly quoting his lines in daily life, with just how much his delivery of the line stuck with them long after finishing the game. May Wayne June rest in peace, and his voice live on in the hearts of all.
Source:
Darkest Dungeon Official Website