Darkest Dungeon developer Red Hook revealed in a recent discussion that it has no intention of recreating the iconic voice of the game's late narrator, Wayne June, using generative artificial intelligence (thanks, Rock Paper Shotgun).
Red Hook would never try to replace Wayne June's Human Performance
“In one of his last emails to me, Wayne gave us permission to train an AI on his voice, something he had adamantly opposed before the end. We had never asked to do that, I think he was trying to put the game/team/fans first – offer us a 'way forward'. I declined and we donated to his family anyway,” revealed a Chris Bourassa co-founder and creative director. “I would never, ever detract from his incredible and timeless performances by teaching a machine to sound like him. His voice and delivery were human, and I am eternally grateful that I got to write for him.”
One user responded to Bourassa, speculating that if the narrator of a hypothetical Darkest Dungeon 3 is a worse performance than June, then the decision not to train an AI model with her voice would have been a mistake, to which Bourassa responded:
“You can't make decisions based on fear. At this moment, the best thing we can do is avoid the AI and preserve Wayne's legacy. Comparing hypothetical outcomes will drive you crazy, and worse, paralyze you in the present.”
Troy Baker thinks AI shouldn't be demonized because it can mean good things for authentic experiences
Troy Baker believes gen AI could accidentally help authentic experiences.
I've always thought it disgusting and inhumane to use technology to resurrect a deceased artist, even if the deceased or their estate gave express permission. An artist losing control of his legacy, often for the purpose of making a profit for a private company, is very insidious, even if the intentions are supposed to be pure.
In recent years, we've seen technology used to “reanimate” deceased actors such as Carrie Fisher and Val Kilmer. While there's an argument to be made for these actors having their legacies honored with an inclusion in their respective “final” films, the idea of a company making a profit from someone after they're dead is positively dystopian.
Life is finite; we must enjoy the work of the creators while they live and then release them when they are no longer of this world.
Darkest Dungeon 2
- Released
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May 8, 2023
- ESRB
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t
- Developer
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Red Hook Studios
- Publisher
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Red Hook Studios
