Voice actors replaced without notice in miHoYo and Serene Questworks games
Two voice actors in miHoYo's Zenless Zone Zero were replaced with generative AI without notice after declining to work without SAG-AFTRA protections, discovering their replacement only when patch notes went live. A third actor from Serene Questworks' Castle of Secrets reportedly had the same experience, amid broader industry disputes over AI compensation and consent.
What happened
Emeri Chase and Nicholas Thurkettle, voice actors in miHoYo's Zenless Zone Zero, were replaced with AI-generated voices after they declined to sign contracts without SAG-AFTRA AI protections. Chase discovered her replacement when patch notes went live, stating she learned the role was recast 'alongside all of you' with no prior communication from HoYoverse or Sound Cadence.
Thurkettle, who is not a SAG-AFTRA member, similarly found out about his replacement through the public patch notes after months without communication, stating that neither HoYoverse nor Sound Cadence had contacted him since October.
Voice actor Mika Nerida claimed that Serene Questworks, creator of Castle of Secrets, fired voice actors and replaced them with AI-generated voices, after she was initially hired believing she would replace placeholder AI voices in the game.
Reported impact
The replacements come amid the SAG-AFTRA strike that began July 26, 2024, over demands for AI protections and fair compensation for voice actors. Game companies are seeking agreements allowing AI replication of actors' voices without proper notification or compensation.
Thurkettle stated that the industry's growing reliance on AI represents an 'existential threat' to voice actors and their livelihoods.
Index analysis
The incidents reflect the ongoing dispute between video game companies and SAG-AFTRA over generative AI protections. Zenless Zone Zero was in development before the strike began, placing it outside the strike's scope, but actors chose voluntarily to withhold work in solidarity with union demands for AI safeguards.
Governance controls
SAG-AFTRA has proposed contract terms that include wage increases over 15 percent, enhanced health and safety protections, and industry-leading terms for AI digital replicas with additional compensation for actors' performances used in other games. The union has highlighted loopholes in company proposals that leave members vulnerable to AI exploitation without informed consent or fair compensation.
Classification
Sources and evidence
This record was researched and written by the Index, based on the following original reporting.