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Per developer statements from Embark Studios, Arc Raiders reportedly make use of generative systems for producing select voice lines. This news strongly echoes the debate that arose with the studio's previous success, The Finals.

Release Details

Released on October 30 for PS5, Windows PC, and Microsoft's console, Arc Raiders is positioned as a gentler entry point to the extraction shooter genre. Unlike complex games like Escape from Tarkov, it seeks to offer a user-friendly gameplay. The game has largely been strong ratings, maintaining a "very positive" rating on Steam based on thousands of player reviews.

Technology Statement

Within the product's platform description, a clear disclosure regarding "AI Generated Content" raises similarities: In the production phase, we may employ procedural and AI-based tools to assist with material generation. Regardless of method, the final output embodies the original ideas of our development team."

Previous Controversy

The Finals, a well-received multiplayer first-person shooter famous for its fluid combat and dynamic battlefields, faced criticism for its use of AI even before its official launch. In its pre-release trial, the title's sound specialist revealed in a podcast interview that the studio had employed generative technology for producing dialogue lines. This statement triggered swift criticism from industry talent and industry professionals, who claimed that AI-generated voices were of inferior standard compared to human performances and that such practices could replace voice-acting jobs.

Company Position

In response, the development team explained that they had hired professional talent to produce primary spoken content for The Finals, but enhanced these with text-to-speech tools to produce supplementary lines based on those initial performances. The company's explanation focused on the significant time savings gained from this method.

Current Situation

About Arc Raiders, the project's design head clarified that the title "in no way uses generative AI at all," though he avoided specifics on the specific interpretation of the Steam disclosure. He did admit, however, that the equivalent speech tools employed in The Finals was also applied in Arc Raiders.

We employ a blend of live performance content and audio generated via text-to-speech technology in our releases, depending on the situation," stated a development team member. For specific scenarios, recording real scenes where actors get together — permitting performance dynamics and tension to shape the outcome — is something that contributes richness to our virtual environments that AI cannot replicate. Other times, especially when it concerns contextual in-game action call-outs, synthetic voice permits us to have tailored VO where we otherwise wouldn't such as due to development pace."

Community Response

Initial response to the incorporation of AI technology in Arc Raiders has been relatively mixed, notably in the initial period. Certain gamers have expressed strong opposition.

• "AI voices are a flaw in an generally excellent title," stated one user in a online discussion.
• I dislike that they implemented it in The Finals and am sad to hear they did it again for this game," added another.
• "It was quickly detectable in the vocal lines for Shani," mentioned a third player.

However, some users have adopted a more open-minded position.

• "Don't give a fuck, they compensated performers and applied it appropriately," wrote one community member.
• "This is as ethical as it currently exists, sadly," continued another.

The ongoing discussion about technology adoption in interactive entertainment seems likely to endure as companies balance creative efficiency with creative quality and moral concerns.