EA Sports FC uses AI recreation of commentator Guy Mowbray's voice for game lines

EA Sports FC uses an AI recreation of commentator Guy Mowbray's voice to record some of the game's commentary lines, particularly repetitive player names, according to a BBC interview. The practice, done with Mowbray's permission, allows the commentator to focus on more complex lines that require natural delivery and his distinctive style.

AI handles repetitive player names

Mowbray, who has been with EA Sports FC since FC 24, explained that recording commentary is "part of my weekly routine, pretty much every week from November all the way through to the start of July". The most repetitive task involves reading over 20,000 player names in different intonations for various situations — receiving passes, taking shots, or scoring goals.

EA uses AI to replicate Mowbray's voice for some of these repetitive name recordings, streamlining the process whilst maintaining authenticity. "AI has long been part of our development pipeline – from animation to gameplay systems – and continues to support our teams in making better, more responsive football experiences," EA said in a statement to the BBC.

Human creativity remains essential

Despite the AI integration, EA emphasises that "when it comes to commentary and content, it's always a collaboration with our talent – not a replacement". Mowbray confirms that longer, more complex commentary lines cannot be scripted by anyone else because they must sound natural and match his speaking style.

"Say there is a scenario where a team is crossing the halfway line but we don't know if it will develop into anything," Mowbray explained. "So, I might say 'oh, a promising attack, what could they do from here' as a line of commentary to explain that – but we need 10 different ways of doing that, so I will have to think of another nine ways of saying it. It can't be scripted for me because it has got to be in my style and how I would say it in real life."

Voice consistency challenges

Co-commentator Sue Smith highlighted the challenges of maintaining voice consistency across recording sessions that span months. "There have been times where we have come in and started recording but been told our voice isn't quite right, and it doesn't sound the same as it did last time," Smith said.

These intensive sessions can last four to five hours and require perfect voice quality to ensure natural-sounding commentary. "If there is any sort of variation, it would probably sound quite odd, so I have never looked after my voice as much in my entire life," Smith added.

This approach to AI in gaming reflects broader industry trends where artificial intelligence supports human creativity rather than replacing it entirely.

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