Nexon CEO Claims AI Has Become Standard Practice in the Gaming Industry

ARC Raiders made a striking entrance into the gaming market, attracting over 700,000 simultaneous players across all platforms and achieving sales of 4 million copies—an impressive launch for the title. However, the excitement among fans was soon dampened by news that the studio, Embark, has utilized generative artificial intelligence for character voiceovers.

Amid ongoing debates, Lee Jung-hun, the CEO of Nexon, the parent company of Embark Studios, spoke on the role of AI in game development. In an interview with GameSpark, he asserted that the use of artificial intelligence has become a standard practice within the industry.

Lee Jung-hun acknowledged that AI enhances efficiency in the creation and maintenance of games, yet he refrained from directly addressing the situation regarding ARC Raiders. Meanwhile, gamers and voice actors have criticized Embark for opting to use AI for character voiceovers, effectively cutting costs on hiring live actors.

The predicament is further highlighted by the fact that Nexon acquired Embark for $96 million, which raises questions about the decision to save on voice talent. Developers defended their choice by stating that many voice actors were reportedly unwilling to return to the studio for recording brief phrases, but this explanation has been met with skepticism from the community.

Despite the criticisms, Embark’s approach finds considerable support within the industry. Reports suggest that Electronic Arts is compelling its employees to employ AI in nearly all tasks, while Square Enix plans to shift up to 70% of game testing to AI. Meanwhile, the eccentric entrepreneur Elon Musk has even pledged to release a «great game» crafted by AI by the end of 2026.

However, labeling AI as an industry standard remains contentious, as many prominent companies are moving in the opposite direction. Nintendo has explicitly stated it does not intend to use generative AI in its projects. CD Projekt has confirmed that The Witcher IV is being developed without the aid of such technology, and Pocketpair has declined to publish games that incorporate AI-generated content.

The use of artificial intelligence to streamline routine tasks, as seen with the team behind World of Warcraft, is now commonplace. Yet, the replacement of human creativity with algorithms in creative fields continues to evoke strong reactions from the gaming community.