GameSpot may receive revenue from affiliate and advertising partnerships for sharing this content and from purchases through links.

Cullen, Welker sign on for Transformers game

Original voices of Optimus Prime, Megatron reprise roles for Activision game based on battling bots movie; audio clip, new screens inside.

213 Comments

Back in the 1980s, children were riveted to their television sets to watch the ongoing battle between the Autobots and the Decepticons. The "robots in disguise" became a sensation, and one of that generation's most popular catchphrases was the animated series' famous battlecry, "Autobots, roll out!"

The man behind that line is Peter Cullen, who voiced the Autobot leader, Optimus Prime. Also lending vocal talent to the show was Frank Welker, who provided the raspy voice of Decepticon leader Megatron.

Today, Activision announced that both Cullen and Welker (pictured above) have signed on to reprise their roles in the publisher's upcoming Transformers: The Game, based on the DreamWorks Pictures and Paramount Pictures film Transformers, due out in early July.

"As Transformers fans, we knew the importance of having the well-known voices of Optimus Prime and Megatron in the game,” said Activision head of production Laird Malamed.

In addition to sending shivers down the spines of kids as Megatron, Soundwave, Buzzsaw, and other Transformers, Welker has done voice work for The Simpsons, Kingdom Hearts II, and New Super Mario Bros. and Mario Party 5 as Bowser. Cullen also provided the voices for fellow Transformers Ironhide and Slugslinger and the sheepish Eeyore of Winnie the Pooh fame.

For more on their inspirations for the voices and involvement in the Transformers film and game, read GameSpot's Q&As with Peter Cullen and Frank Welker.

Transformers: The Game will be released on multiple platforms this summer. Traveller's Tales is developing the PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, Wii, PlayStation 2, and PC versions, Savage Entertainment is developing the PlayStation Portable edition, and Vicarious Visions is working on the two DS versions.

For more information, read GameSpot's previous coverage or check out the official Web site.

Got a news tip or want to contact us directly? Email news@gamespot.com

Join the conversation
There are 213 comments about this story
213 Comments  RefreshSorted By 
GameSpot has a zero tolerance policy when it comes to toxic conduct in comments. Any abusive, racist, sexist, threatening, bullying, vulgar, and otherwise objectionable behavior will result in moderation and/or account termination. Please keep your discussion civil.

Avatar image for Testament
Testament

614

Forum Posts

0

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 6

User Lists: 0

yessssssssssssss the original megatron voice is back!!!!!!!!!!!

Upvote • 
Avatar image for gwds
gwds

44

Forum Posts

0

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 0

User Lists: 0

Brad's response mirrors my own. Man, that was a trip...

Upvote • 
Avatar image for rheinman
rheinman

25

Forum Posts

0

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 0

User Lists: 0

when I was child it's pretty amazing looking a robot can transforms..great !!

Upvote • 
Avatar image for TicTacSuicide
TicTacSuicide

25

Forum Posts

0

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 4

User Lists: 0

I have never been a fan of the Transformers, but this game looks like it might be interesting, since it also has the original voices.

Upvote • 
Avatar image for dracula0103
dracula0103

25

Forum Posts

0

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 0

User Lists: 0

The movie, the game, what is the difference any and all old school Transformer fans will like or love them both

Upvote • 
Avatar image for sponny1
sponny1

84

Forum Posts

0

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 58

User Lists: 0

lol they will wikipedia has said that cartoon network will be making a transformers mini-series like star wars clone wars man! heck they also trhe same producer of the clone wars mini-series man but they are going to put in more effort on the detail of the autobots and the decepticon man! this is so they dont look slunted and crappy!

Upvote • 
Avatar image for number1bullit
number1bullit

25

Forum Posts

0

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 0

User Lists: 0

I can't wait for Transformers to come out...wish they had it on cartoon network.

Upvote • 
Avatar image for thekey
thekey

5097

Forum Posts

0

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 23

User Lists: 0

swimmi_34 "i wont watch it cuz hotshot isnt in there, but i will watch it for optimus prime" Hotshot,* sarcasm who the hell is that? No TRUE Transformer fan would be looking for hotshot.* Just playing but seriously were you around back in 84?

Upvote • 
Avatar image for Darth_kriza
Darth_kriza

141

Forum Posts

0

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 4

User Lists: 0

TRANSFORMERS OWN OPTIMUS PRIME RULZ

Upvote • 
Avatar image for swimmi_34
swimmi_34

27

Forum Posts

0

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 0

User Lists: 0

i wont watch it cuz hotshot isnt in there, but i will watch it for optimus prime

Upvote • 
Avatar image for classicfan
classicfan

65

Forum Posts

0

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 3

User Lists: 0

Cool and prefect for a game and the movie of course! Because without these Actors voices there probably would've never been the cartoon or even 22 years later the movie in C G I I hope the game and movie are worth it!!. They need to bring back GI-JOE from the 80's! and find the original voices from the 80's that did the voices from the GIJOE! series 1982-1986 HawkEyes,SnakeEyes,Strom Shadow,RoadBlock,Jade FireFly,The Cobra Commander I know Welker did his voice lol! etc-I miss those 80's cartoons!That needs to be brought back to the screen this time maybe in 2008?. But in CGI like in the movie Toy Soldiers 1997?..

Upvote • 
Avatar image for i_got_you60
i_got_you60

505

Forum Posts

0

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 0

User Lists: 0

the game better b good cause tranformers own

Upvote • 
Avatar image for tonis125
tonis125

40

Forum Posts

0

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 0

User Lists: 0

the game better be good cause if not i know some people who will get very UPSET!

Upvote • 
Avatar image for Big_ChuckNorris
Big_ChuckNorris

25

Forum Posts

0

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 0

User Lists: 0

Did Welker provide the voice in the first movie? I had that on VHS until a couple of weeks ago, and he sounds exactly the same. Which is keeeeeewl.

Upvote • 
Avatar image for DrCLos
DrCLos

1091

Forum Posts

0

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 2

User Lists: 0

Great news. Definitely looking forward to the movie and I will have to keep an eye on the game. They better be good! :P

Upvote • 
Avatar image for Docthebutcher
Docthebutcher

27

Forum Posts

0

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 1

User Lists: 0

Who, what, when, where are we talking about? 80s cart00n? oh I was building and racing cars in the 80s and 90s have I missed out on something in my life? Doc

Upvote • 
Avatar image for TwinTiger
TwinTiger

184

Forum Posts

0

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 2

User Lists: 0

Nice audio clip of Welker..... Megatron is in the house!

Upvote • 
Avatar image for CloudXentar
CloudXentar

560

Forum Posts

0

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 21

User Lists: 0

Curufenwe, the guy who voiced Starscream in generation 1 was Chris Latta but he passed away. It's a shame though. His voice would fit perfectly in movie.

Upvote • 
Avatar image for Curufenwe
Curufenwe

226

Forum Posts

0

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 0

User Lists: 0

Hope the guy that did the voice of starscream (dont realy remember the name, but he was the red jetfighter) gets to do the voiceacting as well.

Upvote • 
Avatar image for sinner910
sinner910

25

Forum Posts

0

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 1

User Lists: 0

does anyone know what the game is going to be like all i can find out is 'bout voices is it going to be like ps2? i hope not

Upvote • 
Avatar image for CloudXentar
CloudXentar

560

Forum Posts

0

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 21

User Lists: 0

I'm glad Wlker is doing the voice of Megatron. He is a superb guy and he deserves it , and a lot more too. Hugo is a nice actor but he isn't interested in Transformers and when he is done with it he will say '' on to the next job''. This is problem with voice acting. All the well known actors almost never lend a voice in the games ( except few of them like James Woods) so he shouldn't do it in the film eather and expecially not Megatron. Heh, when I watch the movie I will feel like megatron is saying something like this : '' Mr. Prime, welcome back. We missed you...'' lol

Upvote • 
Avatar image for iloveflash
iloveflash

4760

Forum Posts

0

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 0

User Lists: 0

I didn't know those two guys did that many voices! Come to think of it, Eeyore does sorta sound like Optimus... CRAZY!

Upvote • 
Avatar image for skuld_xx
skuld_xx

25

Forum Posts

0

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 0

User Lists: 0

I agree with you Gta4lif3 When i heard the movie announcement for the first time, got me excited, but when i saw the robot model, gawd it look ugly, but that just me since I'm so used to original look. Can't they just stick to original model and not making some mumbo jumbo out of em? my 2cent

Upvote • 
Avatar image for archiekins07
archiekins07

25

Forum Posts

0

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 0

User Lists: 0

Pretty cool!!! Sucks though that Welker isn't doing the voice on the movie. All we need now is a live action Thundercats movie....that would be great....He-man sucked with Dolph Lundgren, haha, anyone remember that movie?

Upvote • 
Avatar image for BOSSMAN_2004
BOSSMAN_2004

153

Forum Posts

0

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 0

User Lists: 0

lol computer games

Upvote • 
Avatar image for Vulpis
Vulpis

254

Forum Posts

0

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 0

User Lists: 0

Now this is definitely a WTF moment--Welker gets kicked to the curb with regards to doing Megatron's voice for the movie itself, but gets called in to do the voice for the game based *on* the movie? (No doubt the drooling Bay fanbois are screaming bloody murder on some forum demanding that Hugo Weaving be used for the game, too...)

Upvote • 
Avatar image for Pheimos
Pheimos

25

Forum Posts

0

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 0

User Lists: 0

Awesome! I'm more for Gundam and Macross but.. Awesome!

Upvote • 
Avatar image for Sanguis_Malus
Sanguis_Malus

1322

Forum Posts

0

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 0

User Lists: 0

Spiffing Moustache old chap !!!

Upvote • 
Avatar image for Romayo83
Romayo83

267

Forum Posts

0

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 126

User Lists: 0

It better be good, all previous Transformers games were not!

Upvote • 
Avatar image for rodimus_prime85
rodimus_prime85

623

Forum Posts

0

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 10

User Lists: 0

Is this news?? I thought it was already confimed...

Upvote • 
Avatar image for denaz
denaz

1196

Forum Posts

0

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 25

User Lists: 0

I hope this game is good...

Upvote • 
Avatar image for cobrax80
cobrax80

4658

Forum Posts

0

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 114

User Lists: 0

cool

Upvote • 
Avatar image for gamemofo515
gamemofo515

87

Forum Posts

0

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 0

User Lists: 0

I wish that they just made like a cartoony 3D transformers game. You know, bring it back to the old school when it was a good show.

Upvote • 
Avatar image for buffer34
buffer34

80

Forum Posts

0

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 0

User Lists: 0

sweet

Upvote • 
Avatar image for LexLas
LexLas

7317

Forum Posts

0

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 4

User Lists: 0

This game all ready looks much better then the last one, I wonder though if Frank Welker is also doing the moive voice of Megatron ?

Upvote • 
Avatar image for Jshaw71
Jshaw71

1972

Forum Posts

0

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 6

User Lists: 0

i guess that wellen and welker are joining the game, is a good thing, but this won't make it a better game, I am waiting for the movies realse so it can die a slow painful death and i can move on with waiting for the next bad movie based on a great 80's idea can come along, what next gi joe?

Upvote • 
Avatar image for Gigatron
Gigatron

841

Forum Posts

0

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 48

User Lists: 0

not to brag... but I do a good Starscream. Game and movie looks AWESOME.

Upvote • 
Avatar image for Phazevariance
Phazevariance

12356

Forum Posts

0

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 0

User Lists: 0

I just hope the movie is good...

Upvote • 
Avatar image for BigDaveyDogz
BigDaveyDogz

1815

Forum Posts

0

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 0

User Lists: 0

I prob won't buy this but I will rent it if it doesn't suck

Upvote • 
Avatar image for BounceDK
BounceDK

7388

Forum Posts

0

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 3

User Lists: 0

The last Transformers game totally sucked. I hope this one will get better ...

Upvote • 
Avatar image for optimus_kezzer
optimus_kezzer

25

Forum Posts

0

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 3

User Lists: 0

Well this sure adds to the game, fans will get to hear the first meagtron and optimus prime at least one more time. I don't have anything against Hugo as megatron, but i still smile when i hear Frank doing that raspy voice. I wonder what other fan boy treats we will get from this game...

Upvote • 
Avatar image for YoUnG1991
YoUnG1991

35

Forum Posts

0

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 2

User Lists: 0

i dont know if this game looks very good but i mite buy it anyway

Upvote • 
Avatar image for digitalmel
digitalmel

25

Forum Posts

0

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 0

User Lists: 0

It sucks that Frank Welker isnt doing the voice of megatron in the movie but Hugo Weaving is... Still it is Hugo Weaving so you can expect something equally impressive 'Mr Anderson welcome back...'

Upvote • 
Avatar image for TarkanC123
TarkanC123

25

Forum Posts

0

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 5

User Lists: 0

Frank Welker also did the voice of Nibbler in Futurama :P I just hope they use the same/similar game engine from Transformers on the PS2, I have it and think it was a great game. It had some minor setbacks, but on a whole was thoroughly enjoyable. If they improve on that, I'm sure it'll be great!

Upvote • 
Avatar image for dell900
dell900

90

Forum Posts

0

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 0

User Lists: 0

hmmm

Upvote • 
Avatar image for YourLastDay86
YourLastDay86

1073

Forum Posts

0

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 2

User Lists: 0

Transformers: The Movie (1986) = the amazing...just had to throw that out... Their voices make the franchise. Glad they are on board...

Upvote • 
Avatar image for brannigancarter
brannigancarter

70

Forum Posts

0

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 12

User Lists: 0

screw the game, i wanna see the movie NOW

Upvote • 
Avatar image for 13wanderer
13wanderer

317

Forum Posts

0

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 8

User Lists: 0

This is good news. you can't have transformers without Cullen and Welker in their signature roles. hooray!

Upvote •