AI voice generation is a touchy subject. Voice actors recently spoke out against AI voice deepfakes at this year’s Comic-Con San Diego. Likewise, voice actors have expressed outrage at NSFW Skyrim mods featuring AI deepfakes of voice actors’ performances. However, while many voice actors have spoken out against AI voice generation, Cyberpunk 2077 developer CD Projekt Red cloned the voice of a deceased voice actor for use in a game expansion.
Voice actor Milogost Reczek, who voiced ripperdoc Victor Vector (pictured) in Cyberpunk 2077, passed away in 2021. CD Projekt Red released Cyberpunk 2077’s Phantom Liberty expansion in September 2023 featuring Victor Vector as a side character.
Fortunately, the game developer gained the permission of Reczek’s family before recreating his voice via AI for the expansion. Initially, the dev team considered hiring a new voice actor and replacing Reczek’s dialogue in Cyberpunk 2077 with performances by the new actor. However, this didn’t sit right with the team. Ultimately, they decided to honour Reczek’s performance using artificial intelligence.
“This way, we could keep his performance in the game and pay tribute to his wonderful performance as Viktor Vektor,” said CD Projekt localisation director Mikołaj Szwed.
Reczek’s Family Supported Recreating His Voice Using AI
According to a report by Bloomberg, Reczek’s sons were highly supportive of the idea. Using Respeecher, a new voice actor performed Vector’s lines for the expansion. AI then modified the actor’s voice using samples of Reczek’s past work to clone his voice.
Cyberpunk 2077 Phantom Liberty is a spy-thriller. Players resume the role of mercenary V as they undergo a high-stakes spy mission to save the NUS President. The expansion was well received by fans, with a current rating of 9 out of 10 on Steam.
Jack Brassell is a freelance journalist and aspiring novelist. Jack is a self-proclaimed nerd with a lifelong passion for storytelling. As an author, Jack writes mostly horror and young adult fantasy. Also an avid gamer, she works as the lead news editor at Hardcore Droid. When she isn't writing or playing games, she can often be found binge-watching Parks & Rec or The Office, proudly considering herself to be a cross between Leslie Knope and Pam Beasley.
