He believes that we need to take a step back to understand how much artificial intelligence helps developers and benefits players.

Arc Raiders is undoubtedly the most popular live service game of the year, launching with explosive momentum. Its publisher, Nexon, previously stated that the game became the company’s biggest success, selling over 4 million copies within its first twelve days. By now, it is likely approaching 10 million copies sold across all platforms, and it was also Google’s most searched game last year.

However, not everything has been smooth sailing for Embark Studios and Nexon. Controversy erupted over the game’s use of AI-based text-to-speech technology, sparked by Eurogamer’s review of Arc Raiders, which awarded the game a 2/5 rating specifically because of this issue.

Epic Games CEO Tim Sweeney stepped in to defend the studio, stating that political opinions should be expressed in opinion pieces rather than reviews. Nexon CEO Owen Mahoney later added that it is reasonable to assume that all game development companies already use AI. While some developers have denied this, many in the industry agree with him.

Level-5 CEO Hino Akihiro has also recently voiced his support for the use of artificial intelligence in game development. In an interview with GamesBeat, Embark founder and former DICE CEO Patrick Söderlund returned to this sensitive topic, urging people to reconsider their stance on AI in games. He argues that it can be a major advantage for developers and deliver significant benefits for players. Embark previously used the same technology in its competitive free-to-play shooter The Finals.

“I think people have misconceptions about what this means. We don’t use AI to avoid hiring people or to replace jobs. That’s not the point. We work with several voice actors under contract and continue to collaborate with them. They are a central part of the puzzle. But AI allows us to update the game much faster. If we want to change something, we can do it quickly. People need to take a step back, understand what AI really is and what it can do. It can be tremendously helpful to developers and players. Of course, it can be misused. I know this is a complex debate, but for us it has never been about replacing people. It’s about removing tedious tasks or making them much faster, so people can focus their time where it really matters. I hope this doesn’t upset anyone. It shouldn’t.”

Söderlund added that AI will impact many areas of society, but this does not necessarily have to be a negative development. He cited The Finals as an example, noting that the game has received weekly updates since launch, with substantial improvements, while remaining free to play. According to him, this would not have been possible without AI. At the same time, he emphasized that the industry remains people-driven and that he does not foresee games being created entirely by artificial intelligence.

Embark Studios currently employs around 350 developers. While this is nowhere near the scale of teams behind Call of Duty or Battlefield, it firmly places the studio in AAA territory.

Source: WCCFTech