At 9 a.m. on Thursday, Aug. 21, Nintendo of America announced via X (formerly known as Twitter) that Charles Martinet, the voice of Mario since 1991, would be stepping down from his most notable role. Nintendo continued that although he would no longer be in the role he’s held for thirty plus years, he was not done with Nintendo, or everyone’s favorite Italian plumber. Martinet was given a brand new position within the Nintendo company: the first ever Mario Ambassador.

In April of this year, the Super Mario Bros movie released in theaters and was, by all accounts, a major box office success, raking in $1.35 billion at the box office. But it was the first time since the ‘80s-era Super Mario Bros Super Show that Martinet didn’t voice Mario, giving the role instead to Chris Pratt.

Many people on the internet credit Super Mario Bros 64 in 1996 as the first time that Charles Martinet put his voice to the character. This is arguably his most famous game, but not his first. His first game would be a full two years earlier in a PC educational game called Mario Teaches Typing. In 2018, with the release of Super Smash Bros Ultimate, the Guinness Book Of World Records recognized Martinet with an award for voicing Mario in one hundred separate video game titles.

No official word has been given yet on who will be stepping into Mario’s work boots. There are, of course, millions of speculating fans on social media with different and sometimes very loud opinions on who it should be to lift the plunger next. Some joke it should remain Pratt, who voiced him in the movie while others are hoping for someone who can keep the voice closer to its classic sound.

Whoever it is, I know that we as the consumer are in good hands with Martinet as the Mario Ambassador. You don’t make over one hundred appearances as a character without loving what you are portraying. With him remaining with Nintendo to not only advertise but oversee the future projects as the ambassador, I know that the Mushroom Kingdom can continue to sleep soundly.