Arc Raiders dev insists AI use was to save actors going “crazy if they had to read all of that”
By Sure! Here’s the modified text with synonyms and altered sentence structures while keeping the HTML tags and format intact:
(Image credit: Embark Studios)
The audio director of Arc Raiders advocates for its AI text-to-speech technology, asserting that “performers would simply lose their minds if they had to recite all of that.”
Arc Raiders faced criticism last year for employing AI text-to-speech for NPC characters scattered throughout the game, with Embark Studios co-founder Stefan Strandberg mentioning that “there’s no ultimate objective in substituting any performers,” and that the group utilized it to “maximize our capabilities, being a small team striving to create immersive environments while remaining compact.”
At the same time, the CEO of Nexon suggested we should “presume that every gaming company is currently utilizing AI.” Predictably, this elicited backlash from gamers and developers, as these minor NPC parts could have been performed by seasoned actors, similar to NPC roles in numerous other games.
In an episode of Embark’s “The Evolution of ARC Raiders” video series (via Eurogamer) concentrating on sound and music, audio director Bence Pajor shares prior experiences in development when teams were unable to amend gameplay decisions, describing it as a “true struggle.” Pajor clarifies that while the training data for the text-to-speech was composed of actors’ performances, he contends that it wouldn’t be practical to have them record every single line, stating “the performers would simply go bonkers if they had to articulate all of that.”
Diana Gardner, who portrays Celeste in the game, termed the technology “liberating,” expressing that “I can pursue jobs elsewhere,” and if Embark requires her contributions, they’d be brief enough not to force her to forgo other commitments.
Regardless of claims that utilizing AI for performances achieves just that, Embark’s CCO Stefan Strandberg insists “we are not in the business of substituting actors,” maintaining that what the developers are pursuing is “the contrary.” He elaborates, “We ought to celebrate the performances and grant them more room. That’s something I aspire to provide to players in the upcoming years.”
