Arc Raiders’ enemies quietly cheat physics with an under-the-hood “magic” aid
At GDC, Embark's machine learning lead said the Arc use a coded 'magic' torque inside their reward-driven locomotion so wounded multi-legged enemies can still pursue players.
At a GDC panel, Martin Singh-Blom, machine learning research lead on Arc Raiders, described an under-the-hood system the team calls “magic” that helps the Arc move when ordinary physics would leave them stuck. GamesRadar+ attended the panel and reported the details.
The Arc’s movement is driven by a reward-based machine learning framework that nudges enemies to perform tasks that increase their overall reward value, such as orienting toward and chasing players. When normal physics don’t let that behavior happen reliably, the AI can activate limited “magic” movement options to close the gap.
Singh-Blom used the term “magic torque” for one of the clearest examples. Multi-legged Arc like Leapers and Bastions rely on learned locomotion, and if players remove several legs, those creatures can struggle to walk. The magic torque gives them small, non-physical impulses that let them keep moving in ways the game’s physics alone would not permit. The effect is tuned so the motion still looks natural on screen.
That assistance isn’t free. The reward system penalizes overuse, so Arc will only turn to magic when they have little choice. The penalties push the agents to prefer physics-first solutions and treat magic as a fallback, which keeps encounters feeling believable while preserving the machine learning objectives.
Embark’s willingness to accept an engineered workaround reflects a practical goal: if an enemy’s behavior looks right, the development trade is acceptable. The studio has discussed its design and production approach elsewhere, including how it compressed AAA-style results into a tighter budget in a story about how Embark built Arc Raiders on a smaller budget, and its plans for post-launch content are laid out in reporting on the team’s upcoming roadmap teased earlier this year.
The magic system is a small but telling detail about how Embark blended simulation and design priorities. It helps make enemies that learn and adapt without breaking immersion when the simulated world gets messy.
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ARC Raiders
Developed by Embark Studios
ARC Raiders is a multiplayer, extraction adventure, set in a lethal future earth, ravaged by a mysterious mechanized threat known as ARC.
- Genre: Shooter
- Platforms: Xbox Series X|S, PC (Microsoft Windows), PlayStation 5
- Modes: Multiplayer, Co-operative
- Release: 2025-10-30
- Publisher: Embark Studios
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Age Rating:
ESRB T / PEGI 16 / GRAC 15+ / USK 18 / CLASS_IND 14 / ACB M
- IGDB Rating: 89.7/100
