🔗 Share this article

Per developer statements from the game's developer, Arc Raiders reportedly utilize AI tools for generating certain voice lines. This development is strikingly similar to the issue that emerged around the developer's 2023 hit, The Finals.

Release Details

Released on October 30th for Sony's console, Windows PC, and Xbox Series X, Arc Raiders is marketed as a gentler introduction to the loot-and-extract category. Compared to established behemoths like Escape from Tarkov, it strives to offer a more approachable experience. The title has generally earned strong ratings, currently holding a "very positive" rating on digital distribution based on over 8,000 gamer feedback.

Development Approach

Within the title's dedicated store listing, a notice regarding "AI Generated Content" invites parallels: "During development, we could utilize algorithmic and intelligent tools to assist with content creation. Regardless of method, the final output embodies the original ideas of our development team."

Previous Controversy

The Finals, a popular multiplayer first-person shooter famous for its fluid combat and dynamic battlefields, encountered backlash for its use of AI even before its official launch. Throughout its pre-release trial, the project's audio lead disclosed in a podcast interview that the studio had used artificial intelligence systems for creating vocal tracks. This revelation triggered swift criticism from industry talent and game developers, who claimed that computer-created dialogue were of reduced caliber compared to professional recordings and that such practices could replace performance opportunities.

Developer Response

In response, the development team clarified that they had employed skilled talent to create initial dialogue for The Finals, but enhanced these with TTS technology to produce supplementary content modeled after those initial performances. The company's explanation focused on the significant time savings achieved through this technique.

Present Circumstances

Regarding Arc Raiders, the project's design head commented that the release does not employ AI generation at all," though he declined to elaborate on the exact nature of the store notice. He did confirm, however, that the identical voice system used for The Finals was also utilized in Arc Raiders.

"We use a combination of live performance content and audio generated via synthetic voice systems in our releases, according to the requirements," explained a studio representative. For specific scenarios, filming actual interactions where actors get together — permitting character chemistry and tension to define the final product — is something that provides substance to our virtual environments that systems cannot duplicate. Other times, notably when it concerns real-time combat communications, TTS allows us to have customized dialogue where we typically could not for example due to production timelines."

Player Reactions

Initial response to the implementation of generative tools in Arc Raiders has been fairly varied, particularly in the early days. Some players have expressed strong opposition.

• Artificial intelligence dialogue is a flaw in an otherwise incredible game," commented one player in a community thread.
• I dislike that they used it in The Finals and am sad to hear they repeated it for this title," added another.
• The effect was quickly detectable in the vocal lines for a specific character," noted a different user.

Nevertheless, different gamers have adopted a more open-minded stance.

• I don't care, they hired talent and applied it appropriately," stated one forum user.
• This represents the most responsible as it currently exists, sadly," added another.

The continuing debate regarding AI implementation in interactive entertainment seems likely to persist as developers weigh development pace with creative quality and moral concerns.