In a move that combines technology and respect for the late Polish actor Miłogost Reczek, CD Projekt Red, the developer behind the popular game Cyberpunk 2077, has employed artificial intelligence (AI) to replicate Reczek’s voice for his character in the game’s recent expansion, Phantom Liberty. This decision was made in consultation with Reczek’s family and offers a unique twist in the realm of video game development.
A Cyberpunk tribute to a talented actor
Miłogost Reczek, known for his portrayal of ripperdoc Viktor Vektor in Cyberpunk 2077, sadly passed away in 2021. Initially faced with the challenge of how to handle the character’s appearance in the expansion, CD Projekt Red considered replacing him and re-recording his lines in the original game. However, this approach did not align with the development team’s vision.
According to Mikołaj Szwed, the localization director at CD Projekt Red, the team wanted to maintain Reczek’s performance in the game as a tribute to his exceptional talent. Reczek was widely regarded as one of the best Polish voice actors, making his portrayal of Viktor Vektor a standout in the game’s immersive narrative.
The decision to use AI to replicate Reczek’s voice might raise eyebrows in the gaming community, but CD Projekt Red took several ethical steps to ensure the process was carried out respectfully and legally. The developer employed another voice actor to perform the lines originally voiced by Reczek. Subsequently, they used Respeecher, a software application, to modify the replacement actor’s voice to closely match that of Reczek.
By taking these measures, CD Projekt Red aimed to strike a balance between preserving the integrity of Reczek’s performance and respecting the boundaries of utilizing AI in this context. While the use of AI in entertainment is a contentious topic, this approach appears to be a conscientious and thoughtful use of the technology.
AI in entertainment
The application of AI in creative fields like entertainment has sparked debates and legal disputes in recent years. Notably, authors have raised concerns about their copyrighted works being used to train AI language models, leading to lawsuits against organizations like OpenAI. These authors argue that their intellectual property rights have been violated by the use of AI to generate text based on their works.
Hollywood also grappled with this issue during a writers’ strike, which temporarily halted production in the industry. However, writers have since secured protections against the unregulated use of AI in creative productions.
On a parallel front, the Screen Actors Guild-American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (SAG-AFTRA) has recently authorized a strike by video game voice actors. The exploitative and unregulated use of AI in video game development is one of the contentious issues at the heart of this strike.
CD Projekt Red’s decision to use AI to replicate the voice of the late Miłogost Reczek for the Phantom Liberty expansion of Cyberpunk 2077 is a unique blend of technology and respect for a talented actor. The developer’s ethical approach, which involved consultation with Reczek’s family and the use of Respeecher to modify a replacement actor’s voice, demonstrates a careful consideration of the sensitive nature of this endeavor.
