Embark Studios, the developer behind Arc Raiders and The Finals, has announced it has "mutually agreed to part ways" with co-founder and CCO Rob Runesson following allegations of misconduct with a The Finals streamer.
An external legal investigation "did not substantiate the allegations," but the studio found the situation "unsustainable."
The allegations surfaced roughly a month ago and were initially shared by a streamer named Balise on stream. According to the complaint, an anonymous person claimed knowledge of a romantic and sexual relationship between Runesson and a popular female streamer of The Finals. The accuser alleged the streamer felt pressure to remain in the relationship because she had become financially dependent on Runesson's promotion of her streams and feared she could not push back against his requests for sexual conversations and favours.
The same anonymous person said they reported the behaviour to an Embark community lead but received no confirmation of investigation or action. When The Daily Perspective contacted the streamer in question, she declined to comment on record, but stated that several of the allegations circulating were out of context or misleading.
Runesson was one of the numerous DICE veterans who co-founded Embark Studios. The streamer allegedly felt they could not voice concerns because their Twitch livelihood was connected to Runesson's promotion, and eventually raised concerns with an Embark community lead but did not receive confirmation of any action being taken.
The departure marks a significant moment for Embark at a critical juncture in the company's growth. The Finals, a first-person shooter with heavy emphasis on destructible environments, was released in December 2023 and attracted more than 10 million players in its first two weeks. Arc Raiders was redesigned as a PvPvE extraction shooter and released in October 2025 as a paid game, becoming a commercial success with more than 12 million copies sold.
Runesson's role as Chief Creative Officer meant he was frequently the public face of the studio, participating in interviews and engaging directly with communities around both games. His departure removes a prominent figure from Embark's leadership as the company navigates both games' ongoing competitive expansions.
Embark Studios had recently expanded its involvement in official esports operations for The Finals, announcing The 2025 Grand Major, the first official Finals tournament organised directly by Embark, scheduled to take place in Stockholm, Sweden, alongside DreamHack Stockholm 2025, with a total prize pool of USD 100,000. The studio had paused its outbound esports efforts for The Finals following concerns raised within the community about player conduct.
The situation reflects broader questions about leadership accountability in gaming studios. While Embark commissioned an external investigation and says it found the allegations unsubstantiated, the decision to part ways suggests the company prioritised reputational and operational stability over retaining Runesson, despite the legal findings.