Electronic Arts has confirmed that NHL 27 uses AI voice technology in its game commentary. The practice first came to light when ESPN's John Buccigross, the series' play-by-play voice, said on a podcast that EA had played him AI-generated lines in his own voice, which he found convincing. He added that if it meant less work for the same pay, he was happy with it. EA had not answered questions about his remarks when they first surfaced.
In a blog post with the game's first update, EA said it built the commentary with Buccigross and Darren Pang, with their full consent, using AI to extend more than 50 recording sessions they had already done. It said this adds variety and lets it react faster to league changes, and the update fixes player-name pronunciations and repeated lines.
Buccigross also described the system getting details wrong, such as calling arena seats "chairs", and said such small words matter in sports broadcasting and need checking by a human who knows the sport and its vocabulary.
PC Gamer notes the statement carries no apology, stressing the technology's benefits and the performers' permission, and reads it as a sign EA will use it more widely. The outlet points to an EA executive's earlier praise of AI for boosting creativity and to pressure from debt taken on in the company's Saudi-backed buyout. NHL 27 has no announced PC release.
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