Embark Studios has achieved a remarkable milestone by making the extraction shooter genre appealing to a broader audience. With just 24 hours remaining until its launch, Arc Raiders has secured its position as the third most-wishlisted game on Steam, trailing only behind Subnautica 2 and Valve’s Deadlock. The game’s accessible approach to the extraction genre, which allows for optional account wipes and provides players with a pathway back to their previous successes even after losing all their gear, is a significant factor in its rising popularity. However, it is the game’s striking visual aesthetic and immersive sound design that have truly captured the attention of potential players.
Set against a gritty, post-disaster backdrop reminiscent of many other extraction shooters, Arc Raiders distinguishes itself through Embark’s vibrant interpretation of makeshift raider gear, formidable robot designs, and a captivating synth-driven soundtrack. Despite its visual appeal, some players have raised questions regarding the vague disclosure of artificial intelligence on Steam. This has led to speculation about whether AI played a role in shaping the game’s visual splendor.
Clarifying AI’s Role
In an interview prior to the game’s launch, design director Virgil Watkins clarified, “Arc Raiders in no way uses generative AI whatsoever. We use something called machine learning, or reinforcement learning, specifically for the locomotion of our larger multi-legged drones, but there’s no generative content involved.” When pressed about the AI disclosure on Steam, particularly in light of Embark’s previous use of a text-to-speech system for voice lines in their earlier multiplayer title, The Finals, Watkins expressed uncertainty, noting that he is not responsible for the storefront page. However, he confirmed that the same voice line technology is utilized in Arc Raiders.
“As you mentioned, it’s the same as in The Finals; we employ that text-to-speech model. We contract voice actors for this purpose, and it’s part of their agreement that we use AI in this capacity. This enables us to implement features like our ping system, which can vocalize every item name, location name, and compass direction, allowing us to expand our content without requiring a voice actor for each new item,” he explained.
In a separate discussion with The Game Business, Embark’s CEO, Patrick Soderlund, elaborated on the studio’s integration of artificial intelligence. Reflecting on the original vision for Arc Raiders, which began as a purely PvE experience before evolving into its current PvPvE format, he noted, “the compulsion loop of the game was heavily reliant on deep innovations within artificial intelligence, including reinforcement learning and machine learning. We believed we could construct an entire game around that experience.”
Soderlund further discussed how Embark has harnessed AI and procedural generation to expedite its development process, particularly in “content creation pipelines.” He remarked, “If you request development that’s 100 times faster, you must discard your existing knowledge and rethink the modifications and transformations necessary to completely alter your approach. This led us to explore procedurally generated content and the application of AI and machine learning in our content creation pipelines, as well as the tools we develop. We realized that many of the tools we had been using for years were based on software that is 25 to 30 years old.”
While it is clear that AI has played a role in the development of Arc Raiders, Watkins emphasized that generative AI has not influenced its visually striking elements. For those interested in delving deeper into the game’s mechanics and design philosophy, further insights from my conversation with Watkins are available, covering topics such as the team’s approach to difficulty and the implications of account wipes.
As the launch of Arc Raiders approaches, prospective players are encouraged to review the system requirements and explore guides on Hatch Keys and optimal builds to enhance their gaming experience.
What are your thoughts on the use of generative AI in game development? Join the conversation on the PCGamesN Discord server.
