AI replacing actors has been a hot topic in the entertainment industry recently, and one of Baldur’s Gate 3‘s stars has taken a stand against its use in video games. From writing, to visual art, to voice over, AI has been rapidly expanding into the territory of hardworking artists. Though the final product of AI generation often feels lifeless compared to work made by human artists, the fear is that companies more concerned with their bottom line than quality art may lean towards taking this shortcut.

It’s bad enough that AI is threatening to take work away from artists, and there shouldn’t need to be more of a reason than that to oppose its implementation in games. That said, consumers will also start to feel the impact of AI’s use when they are stuck with inferior art without a human connection. Luckily, Baldur’s Gate 3 star Neil Newbon has created an initiative that will hopefully help stem the use of AI in games, and bring awareness to the value that actors bring to video games.

Baldur’s Gate 3 Star Neil Newbon Has Founded The Pixel Pack

The Pixel Pack Is A Group Working To Build Recognition For Video Game Actors

As reported by Entertainment Weekly, Neil Newbon has created a group known as the Pixel Pack. The team of actors has set out with the goal of elevating the public perception of video game actors, and reminding audiences that they are performers at the same level and deserving of the same rights as film or television actors. This means earning the same sort of protection sought by SAG-AFTRA against acting jobs being replaced by AI.

In an interview with Insider Gaming, Neil Newbon further broke down his goals for the Pixel Pack, and his reasoning for forming it. Newbon emphasizes the hard work that goes into giving a video game performance, and describes how the creative process goes far beyond simply delivering lines. Perhaps one of the parts of Newbon’s interview that resonates the most is his discussion of “happy accidents” that actors sometimes stumble upon while performing. The ability to spontaneously create a new moment that wasn’t necessarily scripted is part of the creative process, and can lead to memorable moments in a performance.

Newbon also touches on the idea that the use of AI makes the creative process too easy, and his belief that anything worth creating should require hard work. Anyone who has ever attempted a creative endeavor can understand what Newbon is talking about. Art is more than an idea, it is the result of the creative process. Working through an idea, realizing what parts work and which need to be changed, and finding creative ways to make that idea a reality is where art is born, and using AI to cut out that process robs art of its humanity.

Baldur’s Gate 3 Owes Some Of Its Success To Newbon And His Costars

Baldur’s Gate 3’s Cast Has Helped Keep The Game Popular

One only has to look at the reaction to Newbon’s portrayal of Astarion to understand the value actors bring to a video game. Shortly after Baldur’s Gate 3‘s full release, the internet was flooded with clips of Newbon’s performance. One YouTube video capturing Astarion’s reaction to being killed by the Solar Lance has nearly two million views, and there are other versions of the same clip approaching similarly high numbers. Newbon’s performance quickly made Astarion into one of the game’s breakout characters, and quickly catapulted him to D&D stardom, quickly becoming a new mascot for the TTRPG.

It wasn’t just Newbon whose performance drew players to Baldur’s Gate 3 and its cast of characters. The rivalry between Devora Wilde’s Lae’zel and Jennifer English’s Shadowheart was another fan-favorite aspect of the game. The pair appeared together in a IGN video about the game which also garnered millions of views. There is also a popular video series from High Rollers DnD where Newbon, English, Wilde, and fellow Baldur’s Gate 3 cast members Tim Downie (Gale), Samantha Béart (Karlach), Theo Solomon (Wyll), and Amelia Tyler (Narrator) play Dungeons & Dragons together.

Baldur’s Gate 3 owes a lot to the cast, not just for their stellar performances, but for their help keeping the game’s popularity alive by making these types of appearances. Audiences want to form this type of human connection with the performers they admire, something that isn’t possible with AI. One can’t exactly sit down and play a game with or interview an AI performer, seeing as they don’t exist.

Some Of Gaming’s Finest Have Joined Newbon, And Their Work Speaks For Itself

At Least 27 Other Creatives In The Gaming World Have Joined The Pixel Pack So Far

Neil Newbon is one of many talented voice actors involved with the Pixel Pack. This includes fellow Baldur’s Gate 3 stars Jennifer English, Devora Wild, Samantha Béart, and Maggie Robertson (also known for her role as Lady Dimitrescu in Resident Evil Village). Prolific voice actor Troy Baker has also thrown his support behind the Pack. Baker is well-known for his role as The Last of Us‘ Joel and his recent outing as Indiana Jones, which even earned him praise from Harrison Ford. His performance as Persona 4‘s Kanji is a personal favorite and I can’t imagine the game without it.

A full list of collaborators who appeared alongside Newbon in Pixel Pack photoshoots can be seen below:

Abubakar Salim
Ace Ruele
Alix Wilton Regan
Andi Norris
Anjali Bhimani
Ben Starr
Bryan Dechart
David Menkin
Devora Wilde
Díana Bermudez
Doug Cockle
Erika Ishii
Fred Tatasciore
Jane Perry
Jennifer English
Joseph Balderrama
Luis Guerreiro
Maggie Robertson
Matt Mercer
Melina Juergens
Melanie Liburd
Nick Apostolides
Noshir Dalal
Sam Lake
Samantha Béart
Troy Baker
Yuri Lowenthal

While every actor here is talented and deserves recognition, Melina Juergens stands out as a perfect example of the effort and craft that goes into delivering a powerful video game performance. Juergens provided motion capture and voice work for protagonist Senua in both Hellblade games, delivering an emotional performance that completely defines the experience. From a pure gameplay perspective, I wasn’t sold on Hellblade: Senua’s Sacrifice, but I was compelled to keep going off the back of Juergens’ acting. Likewise, it’s hard to imagine Red Dead Redemption 2 hitting as hard without the depth Roger Clark brings to Arthur Morgan.

In his Insider Gaming interview, Neil Newbon remarked that narrative has become an increasingly important part of games. Along with that, the actors who bring that narrative to life have also become far more integral to the creation of stories like Baldur’s Gate 3, The Last of Us, or the Hellblade series. Even if AI reaches the point where it can convincingly recreate a human voice perfectly, it won’t be able to bring the dedication and creativity to roles that these actors have. The Pixel Pack has more than earned our respect and recognition, so let’s give it to them.