Embark Studios Parts Ways With Co-Founder Rob Runesson Following Misconduct Allegations

Embark Studios has confirmed that co-founder and Chief Creative Officer Rob Runesson has left the company, following allegations of sexual misconduct that surfaced earlier this month.

The situation was first reported by Rebekah Valentine of IGN, with Embark later issuing a statement confirming that Runesson’s departure was the result of a “mutual” agreement.

The allegations, which emerged in March, claimed that Runesson engaged in inappropriate behaviour toward a well-known female streamer connected to The Finals. According to the claims, the streamer allegedly became increasingly uncomfortable with the situation but felt unable to push back due to concerns about losing promotional support tied to her content and income.

In response, Embark says it initiated an external investigation shortly after becoming aware of the situation, bringing in a law firm to review the claims independently.

“Our leadership team was recently made aware of allegations against an Embark employee,” the studio said in a statement. “We take these matters seriously, and as a part of our process for addressing any types of allegations, we immediately hired a law firm to conduct an external investigation.”

According to Embark, that investigation did not substantiate the allegations. However, the company ultimately determined that the situation was untenable moving forward.

“The investigation did not substantiate the allegations, but we found the situation unsustainable and mutually agreed to part ways with Rob.”

The streamer at the center of the allegations declined to comment publicly when contacted, though it was noted that some of the circulating claims were described as “out of context or misleading.”

As it stands, Embark has not shared further details about internal changes following Runesson’s departure or what this means for ongoing development. The studio, best known for its work on The Finals, now faces the challenge of moving forward while navigating the fallout from a situation that, regardless of outcome, has already drawn significant attention.

For now, the company’s response appears focused on containment and continuity closing the chapter quickly while maintaining operations but the broader conversation around conduct, power dynamics, and accountability in the industry is unlikely to fade anytime soon.