When developing a Terminator video game, the ideal scenario would be to feature Arnold Schwarzenegger in all his iconic presence. However, this isn't always achievable. The developer behind an upcoming Terminator game has shed some light on the reasons why.

Scheduled for release this September, Terminator 2D: No Fate is a retro-style game inspired by the 1991 action classic Terminator 2: Judgment Day. It brings back memorable characters from the film, including John and Sarah Connor, the T-1000, and the T-800. For a look at the gameplay and insights from the developers at Bitmap Bureau, check out the video below.

Although Terminator 2D: No Fate includes characters like the T-1000 and T-800, it does not incorporate Arnold Schwarzenegger's likeness. In an interview with IGN, publisher Reef Entertainment clarified this situation and offered a glimpse into how licensing typically operates in the video game industry.

Reef Entertainment, which holds the license for Terminator 2, has permission to use characters from the film, such as Sarah and John Connor. In addition, they have secured image rights for specific actors who have authorized Studio Canal—owner of the rights to the first two Terminator films—as outlined in their agreement.

However, the license to use the Terminator character does not automatically grant the right to feature Arnold Schwarzenegger's likeness. That's why Terminator 2D: No Fate portrays the Terminator as its robotic endoskeleton rather than Schwarzenegger's recognizable face.

Additionally, Reef Entertainment contacted Michael Edwards, the actor who portrayed an older John Connor in the memorable opening sequence of Terminator 2, to secure a separate likeness agreement for the game. In Terminator 2D: No Fate, players take control of a battle-hardened John Connor during the future war, expanding on that brief cinematic moment into a full game segment.

While Edwards appeared on screen for only a few seconds in the film, his portrayal left a lasting impact. With his deeply scarred face and intense gaze surveying the battlefield, he conveyed the toll of humanity's desperate war against the machines. As a result, Reef Entertainment made a separate arrangement with the now 80-year-old actor.

(It's worth noting that Edwards later returned to the role of John Connor in a 2021 fan-made Terminator film titled Skynet.)

In summary, there's a distinction between holding the license for Terminator 2 and its characters, and having permission to use an actor's specific likeness—each requires a separate agreement.

That’s not to say it's impossible to feature Schwarzenegger's likeness in video games. For instance, Mortal Kombat developer NetherRealm has done so on multiple occasions, most recently with the Conan the Barbarian DLC for Mortal Kombat 1. They also included Schwarzenegger's likeness as the T-800 in Mortal Kombat 11’s DLC. Still, there's a notable difference in scale between a retro game like Terminator 2D: No Fate and the high-budget Mortal Kombat series supported by Warner Bros.

It's also interesting to note that while NetherRealm's DLC character featured Schwarzenegger's appearance, his lines were voiced by a soundalike actor, Chris Cox. It appears the 77-year-old actor isn't currently involved in video game voice-over work.

Here’s the full comment from Reef Entertainment to IGN, detailing how these rights work:

Arnold Schwarzenegger isn't in the game it’s just a T800. We didn't have his license, unfortunately. But for the rest, you have to ask each actor individually to use his portrait.

What we have is the right to use the characters. So like Sarah, John, T1000, T800, and then certain actors will also provide image rights to Studio Canal, which is included in the agreement. For example; Linda Hamilton is Sarah Connor, which is why you can see Linda at the beginning of the trailer. Whereas our right to use the Terminator itself, it doesn't include Arnold. When you see the character artwork for that, you'll see it's like the Terminator itself rather than Arnold. It's basically the endoskeleton that we have the right to use.

Michael Edwards played the future war version of John in the opening of T2. You see him, he lowers his binoculars, he's looking over the battlefield. Someone like that, we reached out separately to him to include his likeness. There's a definite difference between signing the T2 license and having the agreement to use the characters compared to the actor's likeness, which is separate.