A new Ark: Survival Evolved expansion trailer from publisher Snail Games has drawn sharp criticism from the Ark community, who have slammed it for its use of substandard generative AI imagery. The trailer, which surfaced following Snail Games’ GDC announcement of its “in-house developed new expansion map, Ark: Aquatica”, showcases a non-canonical side story to Ark set in an expansive underwater world where 95% of the gameplay occurs beneath the waves.
The reaction from fans has been overwhelmingly negative. Irish YouTuber Syntac, a prominent voice in the Ark community with over 1.9 million subscribers, condemned the trailer in a top comment, stating, “This is disgusting and you should be ashamed of yourselves.” Echoing this sentiment, other viewers have labeled the trailer as “pathetic” and “embarrassing.” The trailer is littered with glaring AI-generated errors, such as fish that inexplicably blur in and out of existence, a grotesquely misshapen hand gripping a spear gun, a levitating octopus that seems confused about its surroundings, and human feet that inexplicably morph into flippers.
In response to the backlash, the original developer of Ark: Survival Evolved, Studio Wildcard, has quickly moved to distance itself from the controversy. On social media, the studio clarified that Ark: Aquatica is not a project of their team, emphasizing their ongoing commitment to the development of Ark: Survival Ascended and Ark 2. They also expressed excitement about bringing Ark: Lost Colony to fans later this year.
Amidst uncertainties following a previously planned late 2024 release window for Ark 2, Studio Wildcard confirmed this week that work on the dinosaur survival sequel is still progressing. Additionally, they announced Ark: Lost Colony, a new expansion for Ark: Survival Ascended that will serve as a precursor to the sequel.
Notably, the trailer for Ark: Aquatica features Michelle Yeoh reprising her role from Ark: The Animated Series.
