"Terminator 2 Game Dev Finds Original John Connor Actor"

Creating a Terminator video game would naturally involve featuring Arnold Schwarzenegger in his full iconic form—yet that's not always feasible. The developer behind an upcoming Terminator title sheds light on why.

Terminator 2D: No Fate, releasing this September, is a retro-style game inspired by the 1991 action classic Terminator 2: Judgment Day. It showcases key characters like John and Sarah Connor, the T-1000, and the T-800. Watch gameplay footage and insights from Bitmap Bureau in the video below.

Though Terminator 2D: No Fate includes the T-800 and T-1000 units, Schwarzenegger's likeness is absent. Publisher Reef Entertainment explained the situation to IGN, revealing how licensing deals typically function for video game adaptations.

With the Terminator 2 license, Reef secured rights to portray characters like Sarah and John Connor, along with image rights for specific actors who granted them to Studio Canal—the owner of the first two films' rights. However, the Terminator license doesn't cover Schwarzenegger's appearance, which is why the game uses the endoskeleton design instead of his likeness.

Additionally, Reef negotiated directly with Michael Edwards, who played General John Connor in T2's opening scene, to feature his likeness in the game. Terminator 2D: No Fate expands on the film’s brief future war sequence, allowing players to control Edwards' battle-hardened John Connor against Skynet's forces.

Edwards’ brief but impactful appearance in the movie—his scarred face and resolute stare—left a lasting impression. Reef approached the now 80-year-old actor separately to secure his involvement. (In 2021, Edwards reprised the role in a fan-made Terminator film titled Skynet.)

Essentially, there’s a distinction between acquiring the Terminator 2 license—which covers characters—and obtaining likeness rights, which require separate agreements.

This doesn’t mean Schwarzenegger’s likeness is entirely off-limits for games. NetherRealm Studios, for instance, secured it for Mortal Kombat 1’s Conan the Barbarian DLC and the T-800 in Mortal Kombat 11. But independent projects like Terminator 2D: No Fate face greater hurdles than Warner Bros.-backed franchises.

Notably, while NetherRealm used Schwarzenegger’s likeness, his voice was provided by soundalike Chris Cox—suggesting the 77-year-old actor isn’t currently pursuing video game voice acting.

Below is Reef Entertainment's full statement to IGN on the licensing process:

Arnold Schwarzenegger isn't in the game—it's just the T800. His likeness license wasn’t available to us, though we secured rights for other characters like Sarah, John, and the T-1000. Certain actors, such as Linda Hamilton as Sarah Connor, provided image rights through Studio Canal. The Terminator rights only cover the endoskeleton, not Schwarzenegger’s appearance.

For Michael Edwards' John Connor—featured in T2's future war prologue—we negotiated directly with him. Licensing character rights and securing an actor’s likeness are entirely separate processes.