Witcher 3 devs use AI to help Polish voice actor reprise role of Geralt after stroke
The Polish voice actor for Geralt in The Witcher 3 will use AI to maintain continuity in an upcoming expansion after a stroke altered his voice, with his consent.
Original Polish voice actor Jacek Rozenek has consented to CD Projekt Red using AI to aid his voice acting in the expansion *Songs of the Past* for *The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt*. The decision follows Rozenek’s stroke, which changed his voice and made it difficult to match recordings from over a decade ago. AI tools will be trained on his previous recordings to replicate his original performance, ensuring consistency in the expansion’s dialogue.
Rozenek had returned to acting post-stroke but found the process physically draining, resulting in a gruffer, lower voice that would have been noticeably different alongside his older recordings. CD Projekt Red opted to use Respeecher, an AI voice generator previously employed for Cyberpunk 2077’s Phantom Liberty expansion, to address this issue. The studio emphasized that this exception was made solely due to Rozenek’s health and with his explicit consent.
The AI tools will modify Rozenek’s new recordings to sound more like his original voice, allowing him to continue voicing Geralt in the expansion while maintaining continuity. Localization producer Mikołaj Szwed described the approach as an ethical use of AI, noting it was a rare exception driven by Rozenek’s circumstances. The process involves training the AI on his prior Witcher game recordings to achieve the desired effect.
While Rozenek’s participation in *Songs of the Past* is confirmed, it remains unclear whether he will reprise the role in *The Witcher 4*. A deeper voice for Geralt in a sequel might be more appropriate than attempting to replicate his original tone in an older game’s expansion. The decision reflects CD Projekt Red’s commitment to preserving the integrity of Rozenek’s performance despite his health challenges.