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Based on newly revealed information from the game's developer, Arc Raiders seems to employ generative systems for producing some voice lines. This news is strikingly similar to the issue that surrounded the developer's previous success, The Finals.

Game Overview

Debuted on the last day of October for PlayStation 5, computer platforms, and Microsoft's console, Arc Raiders is positioned as a gentler entry point to the competitive survival category. Unlike more hardcore titles like Escape from Tarkov, it aims to offer a more approachable gameplay. The title has mostly received strong ratings, presently achieving a highly favorable reception on the popular platform based on over 8,000 gamer feedback.

Development Approach

Within the game's official Steam page, a clear disclosure regarding "AI Generated Content" draws comparisons: In the production phase, we may employ procedural and AI-based technologies to facilitate asset production. In all cases, the end product reflects the original ideas of our development team."

Previous Controversy

The Finals, a well-received competitive FPS recognized for its fluid combat and demolition-heavy maps, encountered backlash for its adoption of generative tools even before its full release. During its October 2023 open beta, the title's sound specialist mentioned in a online discussion that the development team had leveraged AI tools for creating vocal tracks. This announcement generated instant negative reaction from professional performers and creative personnel, who stated that computer-created dialogue were of inferior standard compared to professional recordings and that such methods could eliminate performance opportunities.

Developer Response

In response, the company stated that they had hired professional talent to produce primary spoken content for The Finals, but supplemented these with text-to-speech tools to create extra material based on those initial performances. The company's explanation highlighted the development speed obtained via this method.

Current Situation

Concerning Arc Raiders, the game's design director clarified that the title avoids utilizing generative AI at all," though he did not provide details on the precise meaning of the store notice. He did acknowledge, however, that the same vocal technology implemented in The Finals was also utilized in Arc Raiders.

"We use a combination of professional actor recordings and audio generated via synthetic voice systems in our releases, depending on the situation," commented a studio representative. In certain cases, capturing live performances where performers collaborate — enabling performance dynamics and drama to shape the outcome — is something that adds depth to our virtual environments that AI cannot replicate. For different situations, particularly if it involves contextual in-game action call-outs, TTS allows us to have tailored VO where we typically could not for example due to development pace."

Player Reactions

Early feedback to the implementation of AI technology in Arc Raiders has been fairly varied, particularly in the early days. Some players have shown clear disapproval.

• Artificial intelligence dialogue is a flaw in an generally excellent title," commented one gamer in a community thread.
• "I hate that they used it in The Finals and am disappointed to hear they repeated it for this release," commented another.
• The result was quickly detectable in the dialogue delivery for one protagonist," noted a another gamer.

However, other players have adopted a more open-minded position.

• "Don't give a fuck, they hired talent and applied it appropriately," commented one online participant.
• "This is as ethical as it is possible nowadays, unfortunately," continued another.

The persistent discussion regarding AI implementation in video game production looks prepared to persist as developers weigh creative efficiency with creative quality and responsible practices.