Exodus Confirms Matthew McConaughey’s Performance Is Fully Human-Recorded

One of the defining talking points around Exodus has been its casting of Matthew McConaughey, marking the actor’s first role in a video game. His voice frames the latest trailer for the science-fiction role-playing game, introducing players to a universe shaped by advanced technology, human ambition, and long-term consequences. That presence drew new attention after McConaughey publicly partnered with Elevenlabs, a company that develops AI voice-generation tools and allows licensed use of his voice in certain contexts. The overlap raised a simple question around Exodus: is the voice heard in the game actually McConaughey, or a generated version of him?

According to developer Archetype Entertainment, the answer is unambiguous. Every line of dialogue delivered by McConaughey in Exodus was recorded traditionally, without any AI involvement. Chad Robertson, co-founder of Archetype, said the studio’s agreement with the actor is entirely separate from his AI licensing work and covers only bespoke voice-over recorded specifically for the game.

“No, no. Everything that's in Exodus – 100 percent of what's in Exodus – is bespoke VO recording just for us,” Robertson said. “He has a completely separate deal of his own design that he's worked out with Elevenlabs, which happens to be one of the most prominent AI voice-generation tools, that is being used by other video game companies.”

— Chad Robertson

Robertson added that McConaughey maintains strict limitations on how his AI-generated voice can be used, and that those arrangements do not intersect with Exodus in any way. The studio was aware of the Elevenlabs deal but emphasized that its collaboration with the actor was narrowly defined and contractually isolated.

“The reason I mentioned it more is that even stuff like that catches us off guard, because our engagement with Matthew is very specific,” Robertson said. “But my point in this is there's a lot more stuff that's going to evolve that way.”

— Chad Robertson

The clarification comes amid broader industry debate over generative AI and its role in creative production. While Archetype has avoided AI-generated assets in Exodus so far, Robertson acknowledged the topic is under regular discussion internally. He described an evolving landscape where studios may eventually face trade-offs between cost, timelines, and quality, particularly as AI tools become more accepted across the industry.

“We don't have plans to use generative AI for any elements of it,” Robertson said, referring specifically to Exodus. “But we reserve the right to change that if things require it to get the game at the quality that we need it, or the timeline or budget that we need. But currently that's not our plan.”

— Chad Robertson

He stressed that these conversations are ongoing and often consume internal meetings, reflecting how sensitive the issue remains among developers. For now, Archetype’s position is to prioritize traditional creative processes while monitoring how technology develops.

Exodus itself continues to draw attention for reasons beyond its casting. Revealed again during The Game Awards, the latest trailer offered another look at a sci-fi setting that closely recalls Mass Effect, a comparison the studio does not shy away from. Archetype includes several former BioWare developers, among them Drew Karpyshyn, lead writer on Mass Effect 1 and 2, and Robertson himself, who also previously worked at BioWare.

Players take on the role of Jun Aslan, a seemingly ordinary individual whose compatibility with ancient technology places them at the center of a larger crisis. The narrative revolves around escaping a tech-driven plague, assembling a ship, and recruiting a crew, with relationship mechanics that echo the companion-focused design of classic BioWare RPGs.

Where Exodus distinguishes itself is through its time dilation system. Travel at near-light speeds causes significant time to pass elsewhere, meaning decisions can have consequences that unfold across decades or longer. This mechanic is positioned as a core narrative and gameplay pillar, allowing players to witness the long-term effects of their actions in a way few RPGs attempt.

McConaughey plays C.C. Orlev, a character still largely kept under wraps. His voice lends a recognizable weight to the game’s tone, but Archetype appears intent on ensuring that performance remains grounded in traditional acting rather than synthetic reproduction. The studio’s confirmation aims to remove any ambiguity around that choice at a time when AI involvement in games is increasingly scrutinized.

Exodus does not yet have a release date, but it remains one of the more ambitious RPG projects on the horizon, particularly for players drawn to narrative-driven science fiction. Archetype has indicated it will share more detailed information about systems like time dilation in the near future.

Read also, Exodus was shown at The Game Awards 2025 as one of several major titles expected to shape next year’s release slate, standing alongside projects like Grand Theft Auto VI, 007 First Light, and Resident Evil Requiem, while drawing attention as a large-scale RPG led by BioWare veterans.