Arc Raiders boss says success hasn’t changed stance on AI despite backlash

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Even after the recent issues, Embark’s design director, Virgil Watkins, says their approach to using AI remains the same – they won’t be drastically increasing its use anytime soon.

Arc Raiders, launched in late 2025, has rapidly become a hugely popular multiplayer game, attracting 12 million players. It’s successfully introduced the more specialized ‘extraction shooter’ genre to a wider audience, and has received excellent reviews.

Even though the game has been successful, some players have raised concerns about how it uses artificial intelligence for voice lines. The game utilizes a text-to-speech system, initially developed with human input, to generate the announcements you hear from other players during gameplay.

Although the controversy hasn’t significantly impacted the game’s sales, some players are disappointed. However, Embark Studios seems determined to stick with its current strategy despite the negative reaction.

Arc Raiders boss says success hasn’t “changed our outlook” on AI

PCGamesN recently interviewed design director Virgil Watkins, and asked if the recent debates about AI, along with the positive reception of Arc Raiders, would change their approach to using AI in future projects.

He said he doesn’t believe the tool has had a clear positive or negative impact. Like any tool they create, its value depends on whether it allows them to do something new, or if it simply improves what they’re already doing.

Using text-to-speech technology allowed us to create characters with voices, even though we didn’t have the resources to record voice actors at the time.

He explained that the strong sales figures give the development team more options and flexibility, prompting a review of their processes. However, the team’s fundamental strategy regarding AI remains the same.

He doesn’t believe the situation has led to a widespread acceptance of all AI and related tools. He clarified, “It hasn’t been like we’ve just opened the door to everything,” and continued…

We’re still focused on creating the best possible products with the resources we have. A big part of that is experimenting with new technologies and developing our own tools, which has allowed our small team to accomplish a lot. Of course, we’re aware of and listening to the concerns people have about this approach.

Arc Raiders isn’t alone in facing criticism for using AI during development. The game Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 lost its Indie Game Awards, and Battlefield 6 recently received backlash for selling AI-generated cosmetic items.

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2026-01-13 14:23