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According to newly revealed information from the game's developer, Arc Raiders seems to make use of AI tools for creating some dialogue. This development closely resembles the issue that emerged around the developer's earlier release, The Finals.

Release Details

Launched on the last day of October for PS5, Windows PC, and Xbox Series X, Arc Raiders is described as a easier on-ramp to the loot-and-extract style. In contrast with established behemoths like Escape from Tarkov, it seeks to offer a more approachable adventure. This release has largely been strong ratings, maintaining a excellent score on the popular platform based on thousands of gamer feedback.

Technology Statement

Via the game's official Steam page, a clear disclosure regarding computer-assisted production invites parallels: In the production phase, we might apply automated and generative tools to support material generation. Regardless of method, the final output embodies the creativity and vision of our development team."

Earlier Debate

The Finals, a successful multiplayer first-person shooter famous for its fluid combat and demolition-heavy maps, faced criticism for its implementation of artificial intelligence even before its official launch. In its October 2023 open beta, the title's sound specialist mentioned in a podcast interview that the studio had used artificial intelligence systems for creating dialogue lines. This announcement prompted immediate backlash from voice actors and industry professionals, who stated that synthetic speech were of reduced caliber compared to actor deliveries and that such methods could replace voice-acting jobs.

Studio Explanation

Addressing concerns, the company explained that they had hired professional performers to create initial dialogue for The Finals, but supplemented these with TTS technology to produce supplementary content based on those professional deliveries. The developer's reasoning highlighted the significant time savings gained from this approach.

Current Situation

About Arc Raiders, the project's design head clarified that the title "in no way uses artificial intelligence creation whatsoever," though he did not provide details on the exact nature of the store notice. He did admit, however, that the equivalent speech tools used for The Finals was also incorporated in Arc Raiders.

"We use a mix of live performance content and audio generated via text-to-speech technology in our games, depending on the requirements," explained a development team member. For specific scenarios, capturing live performances where performers collaborate — enabling actor relationships and drama to define the final product — is something that contributes richness to our virtual environments that technology can't emulate. In other instances, notably when it relates to dynamic gameplay announcements, text-to-speech enables us to have tailored VO where we otherwise wouldn't for example due to production timelines."

Gamer Feedback

Initial response to the incorporation of automated systems in Arc Raiders has been fairly varied, notably in the initial period. A portion of the community have expressed strong opposition.

• Artificial intelligence dialogue is a stain on an generally excellent title," commented one gamer in a online discussion.
• "I hate that they implemented it in The Finals and am sad to hear they employed it once more for this game," responded another.
• "It was quickly detectable in the vocal lines for Shani," mentioned a third player.

That said, other players have expressed a more accepting attitude.

• I don't care, they hired talent and implemented it effectively," wrote one forum user.
• This represents the most responsible as it currently exists, I'm afraid," continued another.

The persistent debate surrounding technology adoption in video game production appears set to endure as companies balance development pace with performance standards and responsible practices.