FUZ File

Files with the extension .FUZ contain compressed audio data and graphic information that allow for the addition of voice and matching lip animation for characters in games. This format is utilized by Bethesda Softworks games, and it was first implemented in The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim. It includes an XWM audio file and lip synchronization for mouth movements in the LIP file.

.FUZ Files - Speech and Lip Movement Synchronization

The newer version of audio files for characters in Bethesda Softworks games has enabled the combination of speech and lip animation movements, making characters look even more realistic. It is used, for example, in Fallout 4. The combination of files allows for faster processing. A .FUZ file consists of elements such as:

• lip synchronization data in the LIP format,
• sound in the RIFF container - an xWMA format similar to WAV,
• file name corresponding to events in the game.

Voice and audio files in games are placed in dedicated archives.

Creating and Modifying .FUZ Files

The .FUZ file format shows that they are combined LIP and WMA files, therefore, their creation or edition does not require decryption or advanced algorithms. Files are available in the voices archive with the .BSA extension in the game directory. There are dedicated applications that facilitate the task, such as Skyrim Audio Converter or Unfuzer. By converting .FUZ files for a game, you can create a gameplay modification, for example, changing the language.