AdHoc Studio, developer of the hit superhero game Dispatch, isn’t going to be turning to generative AI in its work.
Creative director Nick Herman spoke with GamesIndustry.biz about the title’s success so far — it’s sold over a million copies as of November — while also touching on the topic of using AI for voice acting.
Pointing to actor Jeffrey Wright’s performance as the retired superhero Chase, Herman says that “No AI is going to do what he did.”
“He brought something to that character that we weren’t expecting. I mean, his performance and Aaron’s performance and our whole cast are bringing performances and elevating the material in a way that you’re just not going to get [with AI],” Herman says.
“So, yeah, honestly, AI feels like a production solution, not a creative one. Maybe it’s a creative one if you aren’t creative.”
Creative director Nick
“You’re not going to be surprised because it’s built on something you’ve heard before if you go the AI route. So, yeah, honestly, AI feels like a production solution, not a creative one. Maybe it’s a creative one if you aren’t creative,” Herman adds.
“Whatever we’re building, it has to connect,” says executive producer Michael Choung. “It’s got to be made by people. It’s got to connect to people. We’re looking at AI, we’re monitoring the stuff that AI is doing, like everybody else. But… it seems to be having a lot of trouble trying to get to a ‘good enough’ spot. And ‘good enough’ for us is the enemy.”
AdHoc is hardly alone in its position right now, with Obsidian Entertainment, developer of games like The Outer Worlds 2 and Avowed, also eschewing the technology in any capacity.
Many game publishers are full steam ahead on generative AI
While some studios are making their stance on not using generative AI clear, many larger publishers are pushing it across development teams.
Final Fantasy developer and publisher Square Enix recently noted that it intends to have generative AI handle 70% of quality assurance testing by the year 2027.
Meanwhile, Battlefield 6 publisher Electronic Arts has reportedly rolled out internal AI tools that many of its developers are finding difficult to use.
Microsoft-owned Activision has also come under criticism for the usage of blatantly AI-generated items and images in the Call of Duty franchise, including in the latest entry, Call of Duty: Black Ops 7.
Play Dispatch, if you haven’t already
I recently finished playing Dispatch, and while it’s already a game I’d recommend playing, seeing these comments from AdHoc Studio’s leadership makes that recommendation even easier.
There are so many different moving parts that make games work, and something like Dispatch just wouldn’t be special without the human writing and acting that help it come alive.
Now I’m just hoping we won’t be waiting too long before confirmation of a second season. The developers have stated they are conversations about it, and I’d be shocked if it doesn’t happen after how well the game has done so far. Throw in an announcement for an Xbox Series X|S version, and I’ll be thrilled.
FAQ
Is Dispatch confirmed for Season 2?
A second season of Dispatch has not technically been confirmed, but the developers have indicated that they are looking into it. It’s certainly possible given the game’s success so far.
Is Dispatch on Xbox?
Dispatch is currently available on Windows PC (Steam) and PlayStation 5. The developers have stated they are looking into releasing it on other platforms.
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