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Based on newly revealed information from the game's developer, Arc Raiders seems to make use of generative systems for producing certain spoken content. This news is strikingly similar to the issue that emerged around the developer's 2023 hit, The Finals.

Game Overview

Launched on October 30th for PlayStation 5, Windows PC, and Microsoft's console, Arc Raiders is described as a more accessible on-ramp to the extraction shooter category. In contrast with complex games like Escape from Tarkov, it aims to offer a more approachable experience. The game has largely been positive feedback, presently achieving a excellent rating on Steam based on over 8,000 player reviews.

Technology Statement

Within the title's dedicated store listing, a specific statement regarding computer-assisted production raises similarities: "During development, we may employ procedural and AI-based systems to assist with material generation. Regardless of method, the resulting game reflects the original ideas of our development team."

Previous Controversy

The Finals, a well-received online combat game known for its fluid combat and dynamic battlefields, encountered backlash for its adoption of generative tools even before its public debut. In its public testing phase, the game's audio designer mentioned in a podcast interview that the studio had employed AI tools for developing voice content. This revelation triggered swift negative reaction from professional performers and creative personnel, who argued that synthetic speech were of notably lower quality compared to actor deliveries and that such practices could replace performance opportunities.

Developer Response

Reacting to feedback, Embark Studios clarified that they had employed skilled talent to record original spoken content for The Finals, but supplemented these with TTS technology to produce supplementary material inspired by those original recordings. The studio's rationale centered on the development speed achieved through this approach.

Current Situation

Regarding Arc Raiders, the project's design head commented that the game "in no way uses generative AI in any form," though he did not provide details on the precise meaning of the store notice. He did confirm, however, that the same vocal technology implemented in The Finals was also utilized in Arc Raiders.

Our approach involves blend of professional actor recordings and audio generated via text-to-speech technology in our titles, according to the situation," stated a studio representative. "Sometimes, filming actual interactions where talent interacts — allowing character chemistry and drama to influence the result — is something that provides substance to our game worlds that technology can't emulate. For different situations, especially when it involves real-time combat communications, TTS allows us to have customized dialogue 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 fairly varied, especially during the initial period. A portion of the community have voiced significant concerns.

• "AI voices are a stain on an otherwise incredible game," commented one user in a online discussion.
• I dislike that they did it for The Finals and feel regret to hear they repeated it for this game," responded another.
• The effect was instantly apparent in the dialogue delivery for one protagonist," observed a different user.

That said, some users have taken a more tolerant stance.

• "Don't give a fuck, they hired talent and implemented it effectively," commented one community member.
• This represents the most responsible as it currently exists, I'm afraid," added another.

The ongoing debate regarding artificial intelligence use in interactive entertainment looks prepared to continue as developers weigh creative efficiency with performance standards and responsible practices.