Embark Studios Justifies AI Voice Acting in Arc Raiders as 'Necessary' to Prevent Actor Burnout

Key points

• Audio director Bence Pajor stated that recording every variation for the game's ping system would have been 'too impractical' and driven actors 'crazy.'
• Voice actress Diana Gardner noted that while the contract was fair, she could not take ownership of the final AI-generated product derived from her performance.
• CCO Stefan Strandberg emphasized that the studio is not in the business of replacing actors but is working to replace AI lines with human recordings.
• The initial use of AI was driven by scheduling conflicts and the rapid pace of post-launch updates, which made traditional recording sessions difficult to coordinate.

Background

Embark Studios previously faced criticism for using generative AI in The Finals. Arc Raiders launched in October 2025 with a mix of human and AI voices, leading to significant player and critic backlash. By March 2026, the studio announced plans to replace AI voices with human recordings, a process that is now ongoing.

How outlets are covering it

Embark Studios and audio director Bence Pajor argued that AI was a practical necessity due to the sheer volume of lines required for dynamic features like the ping system, which would have been impossible to record with human actors given scheduling constraints. Voice actress Diana Gardner acknowledged the convenience of not having to cancel other projects but expressed regret over not owning the final AI-generated product. Critics, including Kotaku and Rock Paper Shotgun, dismissed the 'burnout' argument as a cost-cutting measure, noting that voice actors regularly handle high volumes of repetitive lines in other industries. Voice Over Herald argued that the real issue was budget and scheduling, not the volume of text, and that the studio could have solved this through better contract structures.

Why it matters

This case highlights the growing tension between game studios and voice actors regarding the use of AI in live-service games. It raises questions about the ownership of performances, the ethical implications of using AI to replace human labor, and the long-term impact on the voice acting industry.

What to watch

Embark Studios is expected to continue replacing AI-generated voice lines with human recordings in future updates. The studio has committed to giving voice actors 'more space' and celebrating their performances in the coming years.