ALBAWABA - As Arc Raiders gains traction by exceeding expectations and garnering a high player count, Embark Studios' popular extraction shooter is facing some backlash for incorporating AI-generated content into the game.
Regarded as one of the most accessible extraction shooters to date for its friendly player base and support for multiple platforms, Arc Raiders quickly rose to the top, amassing over 400,000 concurrent players on Steam alone and receiving positive reviews from players and critics alike.
However, the developer of Arch Raiders, Embark Studios, is facing some backlash from fans and a particular game critic outlet for using AI-generated voices in the game. Eurogamer gave the game a 2/5 score, solely for its usage of generative AI.
Arc Raiders faces backlash for AI-generated content
It's worth noting that this isn't the first time Embark has incorporated generative AI into its games. The Finals, a free-to-play first-person shooter developed by Embark, also uses generative AI for voice acting.
According to Games Radar, Embark's CCO, Stefan Strandberg, stated in several interviews that they didn't use generative AI, adding that AI was only used for text-to-speech voices.
Arc Raiders (Embark Studios)
The matter in question also sparked debate among players on Reddit, as many took to the platform with varying opinions.
A Reddit user wrote under a post discussing the Eurogamer review, "I greatly enjoy arc raiders so I just don’t understand why they would opt for ai voices. It is wholly unnecessary."
They added, "My favorite interactions so far have come from other people. Those rping as merchants. Seen people just leading others with flutes. The impromptu camaraderie that arises when fighting an arc. There are pure human moments marred by the devs decision to implement a very inhuman element that neither aids or adds to the overall experience."
In contrast, another wrote, "Adding to what u/PlayOnPlayer said, people just want a review that agrees with how they feel. So when they see one that doesn't, it makes them unnecessarily irritated. I don't know why people can't disagree with something and be normal about it."
Despite some backlash, Arc Raiders remains popular among multiplayer gamers, with no signs of a decline in its player base, thanks to its addictive gameplay loop and elements that differentiate it from other extraction shooters on the market.
