LogInAllegedly, the mode's recasts are due to Activision's lack of AI protections.
As it turns out, the recent controversy over the (supposedly) AI-generated "Necrocalus" screen in Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 is not the only AI-related kerfuffle Activision has found itself embroiled in, and the publisher now appears to have a much bigger problem on its hands than just negative reviews or the game's underwhelming 5-6/10 ratings.
Activision
Recently, multiple reports surfaced online claiming that nearly all voice actors involved in Black Ops 6's Zombies mode have quit production due to concerns over the alleged lack of AI protections at Microsoft's Activision.
The report that gained the most attention was a Twitter post by Call of Duty leaker TheGhostOfHope, which stated that almost all VAs portraying iconic characters in the Zombies mode had resigned due to the absence of AI protections in their contracts. Their departure is reportedly the reason behind some of the recasts fans have been noticing since the game's launch, such as the voices of the Samantha Maxis-based S.A.M. announcer and William Peck, portrayed in previous games by Julie Nathanson and Zeke Alton, respectively.
Prior to that, Reddit user Zekethevoice, presumably the actor behind Peck, shared a few replies to fans questioning the character's slightly altered voice, claiming that the VA had, in fact, been recast due to the actors being part of the ongoing strike protesting Activision's use of their voices for AI training without consent or compensation. "Instead of agreeing to that, Activision just recast everyone who wouldn't work," wrote Zekethevoice. "It sucks because they don't attribute the voice so now everyone thinks I did that shitty performance."
"I love the creative team," the user wrote in another post. "The writers and directors are so talented and good! And the rest of the cast are good friends. There are other key roles that were recast during the strike and I'd love to see all of us back with AI protections in place in the future."
Normally, this is where I'd advise you to take the information above with a hefty grain of salt and remind you about the risks of relying on random Reddit and Twitter posts. While that rule still applies, a quick look at Zeke Alton's confirmed Instagram page reveals that he is indeed vocal about AI-related concerns and actively involved in SAG-AFTRA's aforementioned strike. While this doesn't provide 100% confirmation that the anti-AI position of some of the actors is the reason for the recasts, Alton's public stance certainly lends credibility to the reports.
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