CD Projekt Red has confirmed that it used artificial intelligence during the development of The Witcher 3: Songs of the Past, an upcoming expansion for the acclaimed RPG. The technology is being used to adjust the voice of Jacek Rozenek, Geralt of Rivia's Polish voice actor, who suffered a stroke in 2019 and had to relearn how to speak.
After extensive rehabilitation, Rozenek managed to return to voice acting, but his voice had changed significantly. Compared to his original recordings from 2014, it now sounds deeper and rougher. Since the new expansion takes place during the events of the original game, the developers wanted Geralt's voice to remain consistent.
CD Projekt Red therefore partnered with Respeecher, a company specializing in AI-powered voice technology. The company uses AI to adjust Rozenek's new recordings to match his original performance. Importantly, Rozenek recorded every line himself and explicitly agreed to the use of AI. The model was trained using his original dialogue from The Witcher 3.
"I have great trust in the creators of this game," Rozenek told Game File. CD Projekt Red emphasized that this was an exceptional case, with the actor's consent playing a crucial role in the decision.
Interestingly, similar adjustments are not expected to be necessary for The Witcher 4. Geralt will be older in the upcoming game, meaning Rozenek's naturally deeper voice should fit the character without modification.
The Witcher 3: Songs of the Past is scheduled for release in 2027, more than eleven years after the original game's launch.
