The new Ark: Survival Evolved expansion trailer from publisher Snail Games has sparked widespread outrage within the Ark community due to its evident use of poor-quality generative AI imagery. Released following Snail Games’ GDC announcement about its "in-house developed new expansion map, Ark: Aquatica," the trailer showcases an ambitious underwater setting where 95% of the gameplay occurs beneath the surface. However, the community's reaction has been overwhelmingly negative.
Irish YouTuber Syntac, a prominent figure in the Ark community with over 1.9 million subscribers, expressed his dismay directly under the trailer, stating, “This is disgusting and you should be ashamed of yourselves.” His comment reflects the sentiment echoed by other viewers, who have labeled the trailer as "pathetic" and "embarrassing." The trailer is criticized for its numerous AI-generated errors, including fish that blur in and out of existence, a grotesquely misshaped hand holding a spear gun, a levitating octopus in front of an ambiguous shipwreck, and human feet that transform into flippers.
In response to the backlash, the original developer of Ark: Survival Evolved, Studio Wildcard, has quickly distanced itself from the project. On social media, the studio clarified that Ark: Aquatica is not being developed by their team and reaffirmed their commitment to "the production of Ark: Survival Ascended & Ark 2." They also announced their excitement for the upcoming release of Ark: Lost Colony later this year, which will serve as a bridge to the sequel.
The future of Ark 2, which missed its previously planned late 2024 release window, remains a topic of interest among fans. However, Studio Wildcard confirmed this week that development is ongoing. Additionally, they introduced Ark: Lost Colony, a new expansion for Ark: Survival Ascended that will set the stage for the sequel.
Notably, the trailer for Ark: Aquatica features Michelle Yeoh reprising her role from Ark: The Animated Series.
