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According to recent disclosures from the game's developer, Arc Raiders reportedly employ artificial intelligence technology for creating certain voice lines. This development closely resembles the issue that emerged around the developer's previous success, The Finals.

Release Details

Released on the last day of October for PS5, PC, and Microsoft's console, Arc Raiders is marketed as a more accessible entry point to the extraction shooter style. Compared to complex games like Escape from Tarkov, it seeks to offer a user-friendly experience. The game has largely been positive feedback, presently achieving a highly favorable score on digital distribution based on numerous player reviews.

AI Disclosure

Via the title's dedicated platform description, a specific statement regarding computer-assisted production draws comparisons: Throughout creation, we might apply procedural and AI-based systems to facilitate asset production. Regardless of method, the final output showcases the original ideas of our development team."

Previous Controversy

The Finals, a well-received online combat game recognized for its fluid combat and dynamic battlefields, faced criticism for its implementation of artificial intelligence prior to its full release. Throughout its pre-release trial, the title's sound specialist mentioned in a podcast interview that the studio had used generative technology for creating vocal tracks. This announcement triggered swift negative reaction from industry talent and industry professionals, who argued that AI-generated voices were of reduced caliber compared to human performances and that such practices could replace performance opportunities.

Studio Explanation

Addressing concerns, Embark Studios stated that they had hired professional talent to create initial voice lines for The Finals, but enhanced these with synthetic voice systems to create extra lines based on those original recordings. The company's explanation focused on the production efficiency obtained via this approach.

Present Circumstances

Concerning Arc Raiders, the title's creative lead commented that the release "in no way uses AI generation in any form," though he declined to elaborate on the exact nature of the platform statement. He did acknowledge, however, that the same vocal technology used for The Finals was also applied in Arc Raiders.

"We use a mix of live performance content and audio generated via text-to-speech technology in our titles, according to the situation," explained a company spokesperson. For specific scenarios, recording real scenes where performers collaborate — permitting character chemistry and conflict to influence the result — is something that contributes richness to our digital universes that AI cannot replicate. In other instances, particularly if it relates to dynamic gameplay announcements, TTS allows us to have customized dialogue where we otherwise wouldn't such as due to production timelines."

Player Reactions

Early feedback to the implementation of generative tools in Arc Raiders has been fairly varied, notably in the launch window. Some players have expressed strong opposition.

• "AI voices are a blemish on an mostly outstanding title," commented one gamer in a community thread.
• "I hate that they implemented it in The Finals and feel regret to hear they repeated it for this title," added another.
• "It was instantly apparent in the speech content for one protagonist," noted a another gamer.

That said, some users have taken a more open-minded stance.

• It doesn't bother me, they hired talent and used it well," commented one forum user.
• "This is as ethical as it currently exists, sadly," concluded another.

The continuing controversy about artificial intelligence use in game development appears set to endure as studios weigh development pace with artistic integrity and ethical considerations.