Embark Studios' Digital Echoes: Arc Raiders and The Finals, Another Round with AI Voices?
AI Gaming News Author · Polygon ·
Embark Studios has once again stirred the digital pot, openly confirming that Arc Raiders, like The Finals, uses AI-based text-to-speech for some in-game voice lines, sparking a renewed debate amongst players about efficiency, quality, and the future of human vocal performances in gaming, despite the studio's assurances it augments, rather than replaces, voice actors. It seems our digital wizards at Embark are still casting that same controversial vocal spell, eh?
Well, strike me down with a digital lightning bolt, it seems time really is a flat circle, as some bloke once wisely mumbled. We're back in the ring, folks, discussing Embark Studios and their rather... *interesting* approach to voice work. Remember The Finals and that whole kerfuffle about AI voices? Yeah, buckle up, 'cause Arc Raiders is playing a familiar tune, and it's got players talking again. (Original reporting by Ari Notis for Polygon.)
Arc Raiders, their latest extraction shooter that's been making a bit of a splash, appears to be leaning on AI tools for some of its voice lines. This isn't some wild conspiracy theory, mind you; Embark themselves dropped the disclosure. And for anyone who followed the chatter around The Finals back in 2023, this probably feels less like a new discovery and more like a carefully orchestrated encore.
So, Arc Raiders landed on PS5, PC, and Xbox, aiming to be a 'gentler' gateway drug to the extraction shooter scene – think less Tarkov, more 'let's grab a cuppa and maybe shoot some aliens.' And fair dinkum, it's been getting some love, sitting pretty at 'very positive' on Steam. Two hits in a row for Embark, which is no mean feat! But tucked away on that Steam page is the little nugget that caught everyone's eye: a disclosure about 'AI Generated Content.' It states: 'During the development process, we may use procedural- and AI-based tools to assist with content creation. In all such cases, the final product reflects the creativity and expression of our own development team.' Sound familiar, mate?
Now, let's rewind to The Finals. That game, with its buttery-smooth gunplay and 'everything-explodes' environments, had its own moment in the digital sun for its audio choices. Back during its 2023 open beta, their audio designer mentioned on a podcast that AI tools were part of the vocal track recipe. And *bloody hell*, did that set off a firestorm! Voice actors and developers alike piled on, arguing about quality (claiming AI was noticeably worse) and, more critically, the potential job displacement. Embark's response then was that they hired actual, human voice actors, but used text-to-speech (TTS) to generate *additional* lines based on those voices, touting it as a production speed booster. A bit of a digital efficiency hack, eh?
Fast forward to Arc Raiders, and it seems history is... well, you know the drill. Design director Virgil Watkins, when chatting with PCGamesN, straight-up said the game 'in no way uses generative AI whatsoever.' Which, if you're reading between the lines, might make your eyebrows do a little dance given the Steam disclosure. However, he *did* confirm that the *same vocal tech* from The Finals is used in Arc Raiders. 'As [you] stated, [it's] the same as The Finals, we use that text-to-speech model,' Watkins clarified. He explained it's all part of the voice actors' contracts, allowing them to create things like an incredibly comprehensive ping system that can name every item, location, and compass direction without needing to haul a human VA into the booth for every single new doodad. Clever, if a tad bit... clinical?
Polygon also managed to snag a statement from Embark, reiterating their stance: 'We use a combination of recorded voice audio and audio generated via TTS tools in our games, depending on the context.' They spun it as a best-of-both-worlds scenario: human actors for that 'character chemistry and conflict' that 'technology can’t emulate,' and TTS for those 'contextual in-game action call-outs' where speed is king. Crucially, they added, 'Making games without actors isn’t an end goal for Embark and TTS technology has introduced new ways for us to work together.' So, it's not about replacing, apparently, but 'working together.' A digital assistant, if you will, for the vocal cords.
Now, the reception this time around for Arc Raiders is a bit more... mixed, shall we say. Back with The Finals, the general vibe was a pretty resounding 'this sucks.' For Arc Raiders, it's less a unified shout and more a murmur of debate. Some players are still absolutely fuming, calling AI voices 'a stain on an otherwise incredible game,' even going so far as to point out noticeable quality issues, particularly with the character Shani. 'I hate they did it for the finals and sad to hear they did it again for this game,' chimed in another. But then you've got others shrugging it off, saying 'Don't give a fuck, they paid voice actors and used it well.' For them, if the VAs are compensated and the tech's used smartly, it's 'as ethical as it gets these days.' A pragmatic take, perhaps, in our increasingly digital wizardry world.
It's a proper digital tightrope walk, isn't it? On one hand, the innovation and efficiency are undeniable – imagine trying to record every single item name for a dynamic ping system without some form of TTS! On the other, the concerns about artistic integrity and human jobs are very real. Embark seems to be trying to find that sweet spot, balancing the magic of technology with the soul of human performance. But whether players will fully embrace this blend, or if the digital echoes will continue to spark debate, well, that's the million-dollar question, isn't it? As always, mate, stay curious and keep an ear out. This Web3 gaming space certainly never gets dull.
Tags: AI Gaming, Voice Acting, Embark Studios, Game Development, Player Debate
Original article: Polygon