Voice acting

Overview

Crimson Desert features full voice acting across its entire cast of characters. Pearl Abyss has confirmed that all main NPCs and side quest characters have dialogue performed by real human voice actors. This commitment to voiced performances is part of the studio's overall approach to cinematic storytelling, where every narrative interaction is delivered through spoken dialogue rather than text-only exchanges.

The studio has specifically addressed the question of AI-generated voices, confirming that no synthetic or AI-generated voice technology was used in the game's production. All vocal performances were recorded by human actors in professional studio settings. This distinction has become increasingly relevant in the gaming industry as AI voice synthesis tools have grown more capable and more controversial.

Scope of voice performance

The scale of the voice acting effort covers the full range of the game's character interactions. This includes:

• Main campaign characters such as Kliff, Damiane, Oongka, and other playable and major NPCs

• Side quest NPCs with unique dialogue lines for each quest interaction

• Ambient NPC dialogue in towns, camps, and settlements

• Cinematic cutscenes with full motion-captured and voiced performances

• Combat barks, shouts, and reactive dialogue during encounters

Pearl Abyss has stated directly: "Yes, all the main NPCs and those in side quests have actors' voices." This indicates a production-wide commitment to voiced content that extends beyond the story's critical path.

Language options

At launch, Crimson Desert will support voice acting in three languages:

Additional language options may be added after release, though Pearl Abyss has not confirmed specific plans for post-launch localization expansions. The three launch languages cover the game's primary target markets in North America, Europe, South Korea, and China.

Voice actor identities

As of February 2026, Pearl Abyss has not officially confirmed the identities of individual voice actors for specific roles. The studio has not released a cast list or credited specific performers by name in pre-release promotional materials.

Fan communities have speculated about possible voice actors based on audio clips from trailers and gameplay demonstrations. Names such as Ben Starr and Russ Bain have appeared in fan discussions, but these identifications remain unconfirmed by Pearl Abyss. Until the studio or the actors themselves confirm their involvement, all attributions should be considered speculative.

Cinematic storytelling approach

Voice acting in Crimson Desert serves a narrative design philosophy that prioritizes cinematic presentation. The game's story is told through fully voiced and motion-captured cutscenes, in-engine dialogue sequences, and reactive character interactions during gameplay. This approach positions Crimson Desert alongside other narrative-driven action games where voice performance is a primary storytelling medium.

The quality and consistency of voice performances are particularly important given the game's character-switching system. Players experience the campaign through multiple playable characters, each with their own personality, speaking style, and emotional range. Maintaining distinct and believable vocal identities across Kliff's gruff determination, Damiane's contrasting temperament, and Oongka's unique presence requires a cast capable of creating clearly differentiated performances.

Industry context

Pearl Abyss's decision to confirm the use of exclusively human voice actors places the game within an ongoing industry conversation about AI voice technology. Several studios have faced backlash for using or considering AI-generated voices, and the voice acting profession has organized around the issue. By proactively confirming that Crimson Desert uses only human performers, Pearl Abyss has aligned itself with the position that voice acting is a creative craft that should remain in human hands.