By Both Overwatch 2 and Diablo 4 have recently faced allegations regarding the usage of AI-generated voices. However, the publisher Blizzard Entertainment asserts that this is untrue for both titles.
In relation to Diablo 4, a now-deleted Reddit post alleged that the Spanish dubbing of the game utilized AI and introduced new NPCs that “aren’t even talking or pronouncing accurately.” This led community lead Adam ‘PezRadar’ Fletcher to clarify the matter. “It is evidently a bug,” he remarked. “We usually have robotic placeholder voices generated in-game before incorporating the final VO. Something was not connected correctly for this instance with the final VO. We will correct it.”
Overwatch 2’s predicament is somewhat more intricate. Players enjoying the game in German noted that a new battle pass voice line featuring the beloved healer Mercy sounded significantly different from how she had been voiced for the past eight years. Consequently, accusations about AI began circulating.
PR manager Eric Elliott then interjected to confirm that the new German voices also “are not AI-generated,” explaining that “certain localized voice lines in some recent Blizzard game content are currently unavailable or modified” for unspecified reasons.
Mercy’s German VA has been likely replaced by AI from r/Overwatch
“Out of respect for all involved, we will refrain from providing further commentary as discussions are ongoing,” Elliott added. “We anticipate a mutually advantageous resolution soon, allowing us to reintegrate the talents and creative contributions from these performers into our games for enjoyment by players.”
The Overwatch situation appears slightly more complicated than that of Diablo, as Elliott seems to suggest there is more to this matter than just a bug.
For the moment, the publisher does not seem inclined to explore generative AI for these two games. This is particularly relevant given that Steam mandates developers to disclose if they are utilizing AI, and Activision Blizzard is certainly open about this practice on Call of Duty’s store page.