Embark Studios
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ARC Raiders Teases Unleashing Stella Montis’s Shredders on Other Maps Next Week
Embark Studios is preparing to launch the Flashpoint update for ARC Raiders next week, which will introduce new threats and map conditions. The update is also expected to bring the "Shredders" enemy type to other maps. Despite recent player count drops and a "Mostly Positive" Steam rating, the game has sold 14 million copies, exceeding expectations.
Arc Raiders guns totally changed after one "guerilla" dev at Embark said hold my beer, "I think I can do better," and remade the entire reload system "himself"
Embark Studios embraces a 'guerilla dev' approach where individual developers can propose and implement significant changes, as seen with the complete rework of the reload system in Arc Raiders. This philosophy, discussed by production director Caio Braga, has also influenced character designs like the Leaper and weapon concepts such as the Kettle, contributing to the game's long and iterative development.
Crimson Desert developer apologizes and promises to replace AI-generated art
Pearl Abyss has apologized for including AI-generated art in its open-world RPG Crimson Desert, stating that some 2D visual props were created using experimental AI tools and not replaced before launch. The developer will conduct an audit and replace affected assets in upcoming patches, aiming for greater transparency. This follows similar controversies involving Sandfall Interactive and Embark Studios.
Arc Raiders in the Spotlight: Accessibility Bans, AI Dialogue Fixes, and Weapon Nerfs | Invision Game
Embark Studios' PvPvE shooter Arc Raiders is facing community backlash over accessibility peripheral bans, which the company is working to resolve. The studio has also re-recorded AI-generated voice lines with human actors and implemented significant nerfs to the Il Toro shotgun. These issues, alongside concerns about a stale meta and cheating, are currently overshadowing the lack of new content and impacting player sentiment.
Arc Raiders devs tortured each other during playtests, at one point juicing Arc into unstoppable Elden Ring bosses: "All of a sudden you're playing a Souls game"
Embark Studios production director Caio Braga revealed that internal playtesting for Arc Raiders involved developers intentionally making the game overly difficult, sometimes resembling a Souls-like experience. This practice stemmed from a desire for team autonomy and to challenge opposing design philosophies, leading to extreme balance shifts between weapon and AI teams.
Arc Raiders Steam reviews wobble as players bemoan "very frustrating" meta and say it's "become stale" due to cheating and lack of big updates
Arc Raiders has seen a decline in its Steam review sentiment, shifting from 'Very Positive' to 'Mostly Positive' due to player complaints. Key issues include a lack of substantial updates, persistent cheating problems, and frustrating matchmaking, leading to player dissatisfaction with the current meta and overall game state.
Morning Postmortems/Retrospectives
Developers at Embark Studios revealed that Arc Raiders was initially envisioned as more of an adventure game than a shooter, with a greater focus on exploration. The article also briefly mentions Cities: Skylines 2.
Arc Raiders is banning people for using accessibility peripherals, so Embark is "working hard" to resolve the…
Embark Studios is addressing an issue where players using accessibility peripherals for Arc Raiders were being banned. After a player highlighted their ban on Reddit, the company acknowledged the problem and stated they are working to resolve it, with the affected player's account now reinstated.
ARC Raiders studio Embark sheds co-founder in the wake of sexual misconduct allegations
Embark Studios has parted ways with co-founder Rob Runesson following allegations of sexual misconduct. An external investigation reportedly did not substantiate the claims, but the studio and Runesson mutually agreed to separate due to the unsustainable situation. The allegations involved a streamer covering the studio's game, The Finals.
Arc Raiders dev 'mutually parts ways' with co-founder over misconduct allegations
Embark Studios, the developer behind Arc Raiders and The Finals, has parted ways with co-founder and CCO Rob Runesson following allegations of sexual misconduct. An external investigation did not substantiate the claims, but the studio deemed the situation unsustainable.
"You cannot think of game development without thinking about AI" – Ex-NCSoft president Songyee Yoon on investing in the AI future
Former NCSoft president Songyee Yoon, now founder of Principal Venture Partners, discusses the essential role of AI in modern game development, from predicting player churn to generating NPC dialogue. She emphasizes the need for AI-native companies and addresses concerns about an AI bubble, advocating for transparency and respect for human creativity and intellectual property rights in AI's evolution.
Arc Raiders studio co-founder resigns following sexual misconduct claims, but Embark say a legal review "did not substantiate" the allegations
Rob Runesson, co-founder and chief commercial officer of Embark Studios, has resigned following allegations of sexual misconduct. An external legal investigation did not substantiate the claims, but the company and Runesson mutually agreed to part ways. Embark Studios is also investigating separate accusations of player misconduct within The Finals community.
Arc Raiders has a hidden "magic" system: you've never noticed it because you're not supposed to, but…
Embark Studios' Arc Raiders features a hidden 'magic' system that allows AI enemies to perform actions not possible through standard physics. This system, primarily using 'magic torque,' acts as a stop-gap to ensure AI can pursue and engage players effectively, even when encountering unexpected situations or physical limitations.
Arc Raiders studio splits with co-founder over 'unsustainable' situation involving streamer allegations
Embark Studios has parted ways with co-founder Rob Runesson following allegations of sexual misconduct involving a streamer. While an internal investigation did not substantiate the claim, the studio cited the situation as 'unsustainable.' The allegations were initially shared anonymously and later publicized by streamer Balise.
Arc Raiders boss says Marathon has "done a really good job" fixing things after "heavily criticized" technical test: "That's unusual. So credit to that team"
Patrick Söderlund, CEO of Embark Studios, praised Bungie's handling of feedback following Marathon's technical test. He noted that the team has effectively addressed criticisms and improved the game, highlighting the unusual speed of these changes. Söderlund expressed hope for Marathon's success in the competitive live-service market.
Issues and Activism
Embark Studios, the developer behind Arc Raiders and The Finals, has parted ways with a co-founder following allegations of misconduct. The studio has not provided specific details regarding the nature of the allegations or the co-founder's departure.
Arc Raiders update nerfs notorious Il Toro shotgun from basically every angle: pellet damage, fire rate, dispersion,…
Arc Raiders developer Embark Studios has released Patch 1.20.0, which nerfs the controversial Il Toro shotgun. The adjustments address the weapon's damage per second and effectiveness at range, a change many players had requested to balance the PvPvE experience.
Embark "mutually parts ways" with co-founder Rob Runesson following sexual misconduct allegations
Embark Studios has mutually parted ways with co-founder Rob Runesson following allegations of sexual misconduct. While an external investigation did not substantiate the claims, the studio deemed the situation unsustainable. The allegations reportedly involve a female streamer of The Finals, who expressed discomfort with Runesson's advances and concerns about potential conflicts of interest.
Arc Raiders dev Embark Studios confirms co-founder is gone after allegations of misconduct with The Finals streamer: "We found the situation unsustainable and mutually agreed to part ways"
Embark Studios, the developer of Arc Raiders and The Finals, has confirmed that co-founder and Chief Creative Officer Rob Runesson has departed the company following allegations of misconduct with a The Finals streamer. While an external investigation did not substantiate the claims, the studio deemed the situation unsustainable and mutually agreed to his departure.
New Arc Raiders Patch Finally Takes Aim at the Il Toro to Make it Feel 'More Like a Weapon of Its Rarity' - IGN
Embark Studios has released Arc Raiders update 1.20.0, which includes balance adjustments for the Il Toro shotgun and a reduction in the sell price of energy clips. The update aims to make the Il Toro feel more appropriate for its rarity and to rebalance in-game economy. The patch is available on PC, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series X|S.
