TL;DR:
- Players noticed voice acting inconsistencies in Bandai Namco’s Naruto x Boruto: Ultimate Ninja Storm Connections game.
- Voice actors raised suspicions about AI involvement due to unusual dialogue delivery.
- Bandai Namco denied AI use, attributing the issues to poor editing.
- The company pledged to fix the voice lines in question.
- The practice of using AI in voice acting is met with skepticism among industry professionals and players.
Main AI News:
In the realm of gaming, the release of Bandai Namco’s Naruto x Boruto: Ultimate Ninja Storm Connections has garnered both praise and skepticism. Astute players may have detected peculiarities in the voice acting, raising suspicions about the involvement of artificial intelligence (AI) in the game’s development.
Certain voice actors further fueled these suspicions, as they highlighted discrepancies in the dialogue delivery. Notably, in one scene, Naruto’s voice inexplicably transforms mid-sentence, prompting voice actress Maile Flanagan to express her bewilderment. She stated unequivocally in a now-deleted post on X/Twitter (via IGN), “I can guarantee I did not say that line that way.” She added, “What’s that from? And I guarantee no voice director of Naruto or the games would have me do that in that way.”
Michael Schwalbe, who portrayed Kawaki, echoed Flanagan’s sentiments, asserting that he did not recall delivering a line in such a botched manner. He went a step further, expressing his concerns in another post: “Okay, this needs an explanation ASAP. I sent a couple of these clips to a friend. He ran the audio through an AI detection program and looked at these results. First is Wake You Up, then power of gaaahhd. This was a union game. Generative AI use is supposed to be forbidden.”
The inability of voice actors to recollect delivering certain lines serves as a conspicuous red flag, further cementing the suspicions circulating among fans. Despite this, Bandai Namco recently refuted these accusations, asserting that the audio anomalies in the new Naruto game are the product of subpar editing, pledging swift rectification.
A spokesperson from the company elucidated, “Regarding the reports about several voice-over lines in Naruto X Boruto: Ultimate Ninja Storm Connections, Bandai Namco Entertainment can confirm that the lines in question were not AI-generated, but the result of inconsistencies during the editing and mastering process.” The spokesperson expressed regret over the concerns raised within the Naruto community and the voice acting fraternity, promising prompt resolution.
Regrettably, the use of AI in voice acting has become a somewhat prevalent practice, despite the consensus among actors and players alike being a resounding “don’t do it.”
Conclusion:
The controversy surrounding AI allegations in Bandai Namco’s Naruto game underscores the importance of maintaining the integrity of voice acting in the gaming industry. While the company denies AI involvement and promises a swift resolution, the use of AI in voice acting continues to be a contentious topic, with both actors and players advocating against its use. This incident highlights the need for meticulous editing and quality control to ensure a seamless gaming experience for fans and maintain trust in the industry.
