Reef and Bitmap Bureau did not obtain the rights to the likeness of the Austrian-born bodybuilder-turned-actor-turned-Californian governor.

Terminator 2D: No Fate, unveiled earlier this year, made a strong impression as a nostalgic add-on that stays true not only to the film’s story but also to its retro gaming era. Developer Bitmap Bureau appears to have nailed the authenticity through its excellent 16-bit character renditions and faithfully playable recreations of key scenes.

But one major element is missing: Arnold Schwarzenegger. While the T800 can be seen punching bikers and tear-gassing cops in the trailer, publisher Reef Entertainment told IGN they were unable to license Arnie’s likeness. As such, the T800’s appearance is limited to the character itself.

“Arnold Schwarzenegger isn’t in the game. It’s just a T800. What we have is the right to use the characters. So, Sarah, John, T1000, T800—and certain actors also provide likeness rights to Studio Canal, as part of the agreement. For example, Linda Hamilton plays Sarah Connor, so you can see her in the trailer. But the rights to use the Terminator do not include Arnold himself. If you look at the character art, you’ll see it’s more of the Terminator as a concept than Arnold specifically. Basically, we have the right to the endoskeleton.” – Reef explained.

Reef was also thorough elsewhere. Alongside Hamilton and Patrick, No Fate secured the likeness rights for Michael Edwards, who portrayed the adult John Connor in the future war prologue. He only appears on-screen for about a minute, but with the game likely to expand on that scene (explosions and all), including him was a clever move.

Terminator 2D: No Fate launches on September 5 for PlayStation 5, Xbox Series, PC, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and Nintendo Switch. Only the Switch 2 will be left out.

Source: PCGamer, IGN