CD Projekt Red has confirmed it is working with AI voice firm Respeecher to restore the Polish voice of Geralt, provided by actor Jacek Rozenek, for the upcoming The Witcher 3 expansion Songs of the Past.
The studio told Game File the move is intended to preserve Rozenek’s long-standing portrayal of Geralt while accommodating the actor’s reduced vocal capacity following a 2019 stroke.
Rozenek has voiced Geralt in Polish since the original 2007 release, and CDPR described his participation as important to maintaining continuity.
Background and timeline
- Jacek Rozenek suffered a stroke in 2019 that left him unable to speak for months.
By 2021 his speech had returned after extensive rehabilitation, and he recorded additional lines for The Witcher 3’s next‑gen update in 2022.
Rozenek said the recording left him physically exhausted, underscoring how rigorous voice sessions remain a challenge even after recovery.
- With Songs of the Past set within the same period as the base game, CD Projekt Red determined Geralt’s voice needed to match the earlier tonality and strength.
The volume of new lines required for the expansion would have exceeded Rozenek’s current endurance, prompting the studio to enlist Respeecher.
How the AI was used
CDPR trained Respeecher’s model on Rozenek’s prior Witcher 3 recordings to recreate the timbre and delivery of his voice from earlier titles.
The developer recorded what Rozenek could perform and provided those sessions to Respeecher, which produced output matched to his prior material so the character’s voice remains consistent within the story’s timeframe.
Ethical framing and precedent
CD Projekt Red’s localization director, Mikołaj Szwed, framed the decision as a narrowly scoped, consent‑based use of AI: the company would not have considered synthetic voice work absent Rozenek’s health limitations.
CDPR has previously used Respeecher technology in Poland to preserve an actor’s voice for Cyberpunk 2077’s Phantom Liberty DLC following the death of actor Miłogost Reczek.
What this means for players
Fans can expect Geralt’s Polish performance in Songs of the Past to closely reflect Rozenek’s established voice, with AI applied to maintain consistency rather than replace the actor outright.
Separately, CD Projekt Red has continued to issue updates for The Witcher 3 – Remastered, including an image‑quality patch released on Switch 2, part of its ongoing post‑launch support across platforms.
This approach highlights a growing, carefully managed use of voice synthesis in AAA localization where studios must balance legacy performances, actor welfare, and technical demands.
The studio told Game File the move is intended to preserve Rozenek’s long-standing portrayal of Geralt while accommodating the actor’s reduced vocal capacity following a 2019 stroke.
Rozenek has voiced Geralt in Polish since the original 2007 release, and CDPR described his participation as important to maintaining continuity.
Background and timeline
- Jacek Rozenek suffered a stroke in 2019 that left him unable to speak for months.
By 2021 his speech had returned after extensive rehabilitation, and he recorded additional lines for The Witcher 3’s next‑gen update in 2022.
Rozenek said the recording left him physically exhausted, underscoring how rigorous voice sessions remain a challenge even after recovery.
- With Songs of the Past set within the same period as the base game, CD Projekt Red determined Geralt’s voice needed to match the earlier tonality and strength.
The volume of new lines required for the expansion would have exceeded Rozenek’s current endurance, prompting the studio to enlist Respeecher.
How the AI was used
CDPR trained Respeecher’s model on Rozenek’s prior Witcher 3 recordings to recreate the timbre and delivery of his voice from earlier titles.
The developer recorded what Rozenek could perform and provided those sessions to Respeecher, which produced output matched to his prior material so the character’s voice remains consistent within the story’s timeframe.
Ethical framing and precedent
CD Projekt Red’s localization director, Mikołaj Szwed, framed the decision as a narrowly scoped, consent‑based use of AI: the company would not have considered synthetic voice work absent Rozenek’s health limitations.
CDPR has previously used Respeecher technology in Poland to preserve an actor’s voice for Cyberpunk 2077’s Phantom Liberty DLC following the death of actor Miłogost Reczek.
What this means for players
Fans can expect Geralt’s Polish performance in Songs of the Past to closely reflect Rozenek’s established voice, with AI applied to maintain consistency rather than replace the actor outright.
Separately, CD Projekt Red has continued to issue updates for The Witcher 3 – Remastered, including an image‑quality patch released on Switch 2, part of its ongoing post‑launch support across platforms.
This approach highlights a growing, carefully managed use of voice synthesis in AAA localization where studios must balance legacy performances, actor welfare, and technical demands.
