Choosing an appropriate semi-empirical potential is a fundamental aspect of any atomistic simulation. Here, we assess the capabilities of semi-empirical potentials (EAM and MEAM type) to model defects in magnesium and its alloys during atomistic simulations. The manuscript is now available: Wang et al. Defects in magnesium and its alloys by atomistic simulation: Assessment of semi-empirical potentials, Computational Materials Science 240 (2024) 113025 [open access].