If you’re a gamer and you’ve ever caught yourself yelling at the TV while you’re trying to beat the other team, well then you’re not alone. After you’ve settled down, and think to yourself, “Man, I wish I could just use my voice to tell my player what to do,” well then you might soon be in luck.
That’s right, thanks to Alexa Game Control, Amazon is releasing a new tool that’s going to allow gamers to use natural language voice commands to dictate actions in video games. The first title that will feature this technology will be Dead Island, a zombie-filled thriller.
How It Works
According to Amazon, Alexa Game Control will allow users to interact with NPCs, or non-player characters. These are characters that are controlled by the game’s artificial intelligence (AI) rather than by a gamer. You’ll also be able to switch weapons with your voice.
The wake word, “Alexa” won’t be required and you don’t need an Echo device. The feature will work with “any microphone or headset connected to their PC or console,” according to Amazon.
According to Amazon’s blog post, with Dead Island 2 specifically, “… players can use their voice to access in-game features like navigation (by saying ‘where is the nearest workbench,’) manipulate zombie hordes (by saying ‘hey zombie’).
Release Date and Restrictions
Mark your calendar for February 3rd, 2023, because this is when it’s slated for release. At first, it will only be available in English in North America, but Amazon says “it’s coming to “more countries and languages.”
The feature will only work with PC and Xbox for the time being, but down the road, there are hopes that Game Control will come to platforms like PlayStation and Nintendo Switch.