‘His Voice and Delivery Was Human’ — Darkest Dungeon Dev Says Red Hook Will Never Use AI to Replicate the Voice of Late Narrator Wayne June

Red Hook Studios has affirmed it will not use artificial intelligence to replicate the voice of Wayne June, the beloved narrator of Darkest Dungeon, following his death last year. Studio co-founder Chris Bourassa made the declaration on Reddit in response to community discussion about the game’s future direction without its iconic voice actor.

June’s distinctive, gravelly narration was a defining characteristic of Darkest Dungeon, providing darkly comedic commentary throughout the dungeon-crawling roguelike. His performances became so integral to the game’s identity that questions naturally arose about how the series would continue after his passing.

Notably, in one of his final emails to Bourassa, Wayne June had granted permission to train an AI voice model on his recordings—a request he had previously opposed. Despite this explicit consent, Red Hook has chosen to decline the opportunity. Bourassa emphasized the studio’s commitment to preserving June’s legacy, stating the company would “never, ever erode” his incredible and timeless performances by attempting to artificially replicate his voice.

This decision reflects a growing conversation within the gaming industry about the ethical implications of using AI to recreate deceased creators’ work. Red Hook’s stance prioritizes artistic integrity and respect for June’s unique contribution to the game, rather than pursuing a potentially controversial AI-generated substitute.

‘His Voice and Delivery Was Human’ — Darkest Dungeon Dev Says Red Hook Will Never Use AI to Replicate the Voice of Late Narrator Wayne June

Sources