The mystery is over. Back in August, word got out that Polda 5.5 would feature a second Czech actor alongside the voice of Luděk Sobota, and that the same performer could potentially carry the role into the upcoming eighth installment as well. Yesterday, the developers revealed the name on their official Facebook page: the new Pankrác is played by actor Pavel Liška, known in recent years from films, TV series and stage productions.
The first recording session is done
Zima Software says the first part of the dubbing work has already been wrapped up and the studio is happy with how the collaboration went. Importantly, the new performance is not an imitation. Pavel Liška does not try to copy Luděk Sobota’s style – he essentially takes Pankrác and plays him his own way, which is exactly what the authors were after.
The stated goal was to cast an actor who is not just a voice-over artist, but someone able to actually perform the role of Polda with his own distinctive energy. If you want to keep an eye on how the series develops, we collect everything in one place in our Polda news section.
You get to choose which Pankrác talks
Here is the part that matters most for you as a player: Polda 5.5 is effectively a test run. The game lets you listen to Pankrác in both performances, and the decision is yours – the character can speak with the original voice of Luděk Sobota, or with the new take by Pavel Liška. In practice that means:
- both voice tracks are part of the game,
- the switch is a player choice, not a forced replacement,
- the reception of the new voice will shape what happens next.
What about Polda 8?
For now, the situation around the eighth game remains open. The developers say they intend to address it when it becomes relevant. At the same time, they have made their preference clear: they would like Pavel Liška to play Pankrác again in the next game, should Luděk Sobota not feel up to taking on the closing chapter of the Polda saga.
In other words, Polda 5.5 is not only a new adventure – it is also the place where the future voice of the series gets decided.
FAQ
Czech actor Pavel Liška, whom you may know from films, TV series and theater productions. Zima Software announced the casting on its Facebook page.
No. His original voice is still in the game. Polda 5.5 contains both performances and you decide which one Pankrác speaks with.
No. According to the developers, the new performance deliberately avoids copying the original style – Liška plays Pankrác his own way, which is what the authors wanted.
That is not confirmed yet. The developers plan to deal with the eighth game when the time comes, but they would like Liška to return if Luděk Sobota does not feel up to the final installment.
The first part of the recording has been completed and the team says it is satisfied with how the collaboration is going.