EA ties AI voice cloning to flat-fee talent deals in NHL 27
Summary
EA Sports uses generative AI to produce new NHL 27 commentary lines in John Buccigross's voice.
Buccigross's pay stays flat while his studio session time drops.
"If it means less work and the same check, I'll take it"
The same consent-based license already runs on EA Sports FC via Guy Mowbray.
01
Consent-based cloning, with a human correction pass
EA played Buccigross AI-generated lines matching his voice for NHL 27.
NHL 28 recording sessions are underway before NHL 27 ships.
EA frames the arrangement as talent-approved: "when it comes to commentary and content, it's always a collaboration with our talent - not a replacement" - Electronic Arts, statement to the BBC
Talent keeps a manual correction pass - Buccigross fixed an AI line saying "chairs" instead of "seats."
02
Pay stays flat while AI absorbs repetitive recording
Buccigross accepts AI only because his compensation stays unchanged.
Mid-season trades and roster moves generate new commentary needs year-round.
Mowbray voices 20,000+ FC player names across multiple intonations - impossible without AI filling gaps.
03
AI disclosure tracks the storefront, not the technology
EA discloses generative AI on the Steam pages for College Football, Madden, and FC.
NHL 27 carries no disclosure because it isn't sold on Steam.
The same voice-cloning tech stays unlabeled for buyers based on platform policy alone.
What this means
For Publishers & Developers: Flat-fee-plus-clone deals decouple live-ops commentary cost from recording volume.
For Service Vendors: Voice-acting revenue tied to session hours faces structural compression in sports titles.
Events
Companies
Games
Locations
North America
COMPILED BY GAMES ATLAS EDITORIAL
RELATED ARTICLES
EXPLORE MORE
Comments (0)
No comments yet. Be the first to share your thoughts!