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According to newly revealed information from the game's developer, Arc Raiders seems to employ generative systems for creating some dialogue. This revelation strongly echoes the situation that arose with the studio's previous success, The Finals.

Release Details

Released on October 30 for PS5, PC, and Xbox, Arc Raiders is marketed as a more accessible on-ramp to the extraction shooter category. Unlike complex games like Escape from Tarkov, it strives to offer a more approachable experience. This release has mostly received positive feedback, currently holding a "very positive" rating on digital distribution based on thousands of gamer feedback.

Technology Statement

Within the product's platform description, a clear disclosure regarding artificially created material draws comparisons: Throughout creation, we may employ automated and generative tools to facilitate content creation. Regardless of method, the final output showcases the creativity and vision of our studio staff."

Previous Controversy

The Finals, a successful multiplayer first-person shooter recognized for its smooth gunplay and demolition-heavy maps, faced criticism for its implementation of artificial intelligence even before its public debut. In its October 2023 open beta, the title's sound specialist mentioned in a online discussion that the development team had used AI tools for developing vocal tracks. This statement prompted immediate criticism from voice actors and creative personnel, who stated that AI-generated voices were of inferior standard compared to professional recordings and that such methods could displace performance opportunities.

Developer Response

Reacting to feedback, the development team clarified that they had hired professional voice actors to record original dialogue for The Finals, but supplemented these with synthetic voice systems to create extra material based on those professional deliveries. The studio's rationale centered on the development speed gained from this approach.

Present Circumstances

Regarding Arc Raiders, the project's design head recently stated that the release "in no way uses artificial intelligence creation in any form," though he declined to elaborate on the exact nature of the store notice. He did confirm, however, that the same vocal technology implemented in The Finals was also applied in Arc Raiders.

Our approach involves combination of professional actor recordings and audio generated via TTS tools in our releases, based on the situation," explained a company spokesperson. For specific scenarios, recording real scenes where talent interacts — enabling performance dynamics and tension to shape the outcome — is something that contributes richness to our game worlds that systems cannot duplicate. For different situations, particularly if it involves contextual in-game action call-outs, TTS allows us to have personalized speech where we otherwise wouldn't e.g. due to production timelines."

Community Response

Initial response to the use of AI technology in Arc Raiders has been relatively mixed, especially during the initial period. Certain gamers have shown clear disapproval.

• Synthetic speech represents a stain on an generally excellent title," stated one player in a forum post.
• "I hate that they used it in The Finals and am sad to hear they did it again for this release," responded another.
• "It was quickly detectable in the vocal lines for Shani," mentioned a another gamer.

However, different gamers have adopted a more tolerant stance.

• "Don't give a fuck, they paid voice actors and applied it appropriately," wrote one forum user.
• This demonstrates acceptable as it currently exists, unfortunately," continued another.

The continuing discussion about AI implementation in interactive entertainment appears set to continue as studios balance creative efficiency with performance standards and responsible practices.