Developer Embark is doing some damage control after one of its developers stated in a recent podcast interview that the voice acting for its multiplayer shooter The Finals is created with "AI with a few exceptions." The game is currently in the middle of its open beta test on the PC, Xbox Series S and X, and PlayStation 5 platforms.
IGN has now received a new statement from an Embark spokesperson which seems to contradict what its audio developer previously stated. The spokesperson is quoted as saying:
We use a combination of recorded voice audio and audio generated via TTS tools in our games, depending on the context. . . .Sometimes, recording real scenes where actors get together — allowing character chemistry and conflict to shape the outcome — is something that adds depth to our game worlds that technology can’t emulate. Other times, especially when it relates to contextual in-game action call-outs, TTS allows us to have tailored voice over where we otherwise wouldn't, for example due to speed of implementation.
The spokesperson also stated that Embark uses "a mix of professional voice actors and temporary voices from Embark employees" for its AI text-to-speech features in The Finals. It added that making a game without the use of real voice actors "isn’t an end goal for Embark" but the use of text-to-speech features "has introduced new ways for us to work together."
The use of AI for video game voice acting has been one of the biggest issues with that community in the past year. A few weeks ago, the SAG-AFTRA actors union voted in favor of authorizing a strike against the major video game publishers if they were unable to reach a new long-term agreement with those companies. Among other things, voice actors want some kind of protection against the use of AI voices in games.
Meanwhile, The Finals continues to be a popular game during its limited closed beta. The PC version is still the fifth most played game on Steam. The open beta test is currently scheduled to end on November 5.
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