CD Projekt Red Uses AI to Preserve Geralt’s Iconic Polish Voice

For Polish fans of The Witcher 3, Geralt of Rivia’s voice is inextricably linked to actor Jacek Rozenek. However, when Rozenek suffered a stroke in 2019, his speaking ability and natural voice were significantly altered. Faced with the upcoming ‘Songs of the Past’ expansion, CD Projekt Red had to decide whether to recast the role or find another way to maintain consistency. As reported by Kotaku, the studio opted to use AI technology to align Rozenek’s current performance with the version of his voice captured in the 2015 original.

The Ethics of AI Integration

Localization producer Mikołaj Szwed emphasized to Game File that the studio views this as an ethical application of technology, noting that it is done with full consent and for the benefit of the performance. CDPR collaborated with Respeecher, a Ukrainian firm that specializes in AI voice cloning. This is the same studio that assisted with voice work in Cyberpunk 2077’s Phantom Liberty expansion following the passing of a cast member.

The process required utilizing Rozenek’s massive archive of over 10,000 lines recorded for the original game to train an algorithm. Dmytro Vasylets of Respeecher explained to Game File that the primary difficulty lay in capturing the actor’s nuanced emotional range—such as fear, laughter, and subtle shifts in tone—rather than just the base voice.

Maintaining the Actor’s Legacy

Rozenek has expressed his trust in the development team to handle his likeness. ‘The point is that this voice should be as close as possible to my voice from 12 years ago,’ Rozenek told Game File. While the AI successfully bridges the gap for this specific expansion, CDPR indicated they do not intend to use the algorithm to modify Rozenek’s voice indefinitely. Future projects, such as The Witcher 4, may lean into the natural, grittier evolution of the actor’s voice to reflect an older version of Geralt.

Why it matters

For players, this development highlights a shift in how studios approach long-term character consistency when a voice actor can no longer perform as they once did. By utilizing technology with the original actor’s full participation, CD Projekt Red is attempting to preserve the established identity of a beloved character rather than simply replacing the performance.

This approach signals a collaborative future between technology and talent. Players should look for this type of ethical AI implementation as a potential standard in high-budget RPGs where maintaining continuity across long-running franchises is a priority for the community.