AI Use in Arc Raiders Draws Industrywide Debate

Nexon CEO Junghun Lee says generative AI has become standard across the games industry as debate intensifies over Embark Studios’ Arc Raiders and its use of AI-assisted production. Speaking to Gamespark, Lee said AI has “improved efficiency in both game production and live service operations,” and argued that it is now reasonable to assume “every game company is using AI.”

Arc Raiders, developed by Nexon-owned Embark Studios, drew criticism after its Steam page disclosed the use of procedural and AI-based tools, including text-to-speech for segments of voice acting. The discussion escalated after Eurogamer’s two-star review challenged the studio’s reliance on AI-generated voice lines. 

Lee said the question for studios is no longer who uses AI, but “how do you survive,” when everyone has access to the same tools, adding that competitiveness depends on how strategically they are applied.

AI Use in Arc Raiders Sparks Industry Debate

Last month, Embark Studios CCO Stefan Strandberg told Eurogamer that the team uses “AI as tools to assist in some content creation” but said the game “doesn’t use any generative AI” in its final experience. He said that text-to-speech (TTS) helps cover repetitive or low-priority lines, and enables a small team to expand scope. Strandberg added that Embark was founded to leverage new technologies, unlike older studios that “are just set up differently.”

Meanwhile, Epic Games CEO Tim Sweeney also defended the use of AI after the Eurogamer review. He wrote on social media that the technology increases productivity “by integer multiples” and argued that competitive market dynamics drive studios to build better games rather than cut staff.

Labor concerns continue to influence the conversation. Earlier this year, SAG-AFTRA members in the United States approved protections requiring consent and disclosure for AI-generated voice replicas, including the right to suspend consent during a strike.

Arc Raiders has become a focal point in the industry’s widening debate over AI. As more studios adopt automated tools, developers, players, and labor groups continue to assess how these systems will shape future game production.