Arc Raiders developers say that using generative AI voice acting was necessary because actors would have gone crazy if they had to read all of that.

Background: Audio Lock-In Pushed Embark Studios Toward Generated Line Reads

Embark Studios, the company behind the extraction shooter Arc Raiders, has explained how it used generative AI voice acting in a recently released video focused on the game's sound and music. Several key members of the staff appear in the video, which also includes the ARC Raiders - Official Camera Gadget Announce Trailer and can be watched on YouTube.

Audio director Bence Pajor described a problem he faced at previous studios: once voice lines were locked in, gameplay decisions became difficult to change. He called that situation a true pain and said it placed stress on the writing team, the dialogue team, and voice actors who might have scheduling clashes. For Arc Raiders, he said Embark Studios used reachable voice actors in Stockholm and the tools available to make life easier for everyone.

The studio's initial use of generative AI line reads came from production volume. Pajor said the training data was made from voice actor performances, and because voice lines were required for each new feature, item, or weapon added into the game, recording every possible version of a line read would have been impractical. He said the actors would just go crazy if they had to read all of that.

Development: Arc Raiders' October 2025 Updates Made Human Recording Difficult

Arc Raiders launched in October 2025, then saw many updates and changes. Pajor pointed to that post-launch pace as another reason calling voice actors back every time an altered line read was needed would be impractical.

Two voice actors from the game spoke in the same video: Jo Rideout, who plays Shani, and Diana Gardner, who plays Celeste. Gardner said the generative AI approach felt freeing because she could take a job somewhere else without worrying about cancelling other shoots or projects.

Latest Progress: Voice Actors and Players Questioned the Final Performance

Gardner later addressed ownership of Celeste's many lines in the game. She said the contract seemed fair, so agreeing to it was a no-brainer in that sense. But after hearing the generated voice, she said she was unsure whether she could take ownership of the performance, even though she had put in hours of work. She stated that she could not take ownership of the final product.

The studio's use of generative AI also drew criticism from players and reviewers. Part of the critique came from reviews, including the original report's own reviews. Strandberg acknowledged that many players had immersion-breaking experiences when playing Arc Raiders and hearing these performances.

Current Stage: Replacing Generated Lines While Celebrating Human Actors

Even with the production benefits described by Pajor, Embark Studios said the AI voice lines are being replaced. Chief creative officer Stefan Strandberg said the studio is not in the industry of replacing voice actors. He said the opposite should be true: the studio should celebrate the performance and give actors more space, which he hopes to give players over the coming years. Pajor and Strandberg said the team is working to replace what they can with human line reads.

Embark Studios has faced similar pushback over generative AI voice acting in The Finals. The popularity of Arc Raiders while using the technology led Nexon to describe it as a "trojan horse" for generative AI use in small team game development.

The current stage is transitional. The video frames generative AI as an early production shortcut created by update demands, while actor concerns, player immersion, and criticism have moved the studio toward restoring human line reads.