AI Sparks Backlash as Arc Raiders Lands Major Bafta Games Nomination

SYDNEY: The debate over the use of artificial intelligence in content creation has entered the spotlight of the gaming world, with the hit multiplayer shooter Arc Raiders being longlisted for the prestigious Best Game award at the 2026 Bafta Game Awards.

Developed by Sweden’s Embark Studios, Arc Raiders has sold over four million copies since its October launch. However, the title has faced criticism from players and reviewers over its reliance on text-to-speech tools to create additional dialogue lines, generated from voice data previously recorded by the game’s actors.

The game’s use of AI tools was disclosed on the PC games store Steam, sparking an immediate debate. Embark Studios acknowledged that while traditional recorded performances are present, actors granted permission for their voices to be used as training data for AI models. This allows the studio to deliver quicker updates without requiring performers to return to the studio for every new line.

Despite the studio insisting it has not used controversial Generative AI (GenAI) in the game and does not aim to eliminate human roles, the use of AI-based tools has heightened fears of job losses in an industry already experiencing record layoffs. Complaints have focused on the lower quality of the generated voice lines and worries about performers losing valuable work.

Arc Raiders has been a smash hit, but its use of AI has sparked debate

These tensions follow a year-long strike over AI protections for video game actors, with concerns over replicating performances without consent being a primary sticking point.

Arc Raiders is one of 10 titles longlisted for the top prize, alongside major blockbusters like Ghost of Yōtei and Death Stranding 2, highly anticipated indies such as Hollow Knight: Silksong and Hades II, and the role-playing game Clair Obscur: Expedition 33.

Bafta, which has 1,700 eligible games industry members, currently lacks an official position on AI usage in development but is in active discussion with its members. However, its Technical Achievement award, for which Arc Raiders is also nominated, specifically lists AI as an element of engineering that jurors can consider.