A new Ark: Survival Evolved expansion trailer released by publisher Snail Games has sparked intense backlash within the Ark community, primarily due to its extensive use of poorly executed generative AI imagery. The trailer was released following Snail Games’ GDC announcement of its “in-house developed new expansion map, Ark: Aquatica”, which the studio describes as a non-canonical side story set in an "ambitious underwater setting featuring 95% of gameplay taking place beneath the surface."
The reaction from the community has been overwhelmingly negative. Irish YouTuber Syntac, a prominent figure in the Ark community with over 1.9 million subscribers, condemned the trailer with the statement, “This is disgusting and you should be ashamed of yourselves,” which has garnered the most engagement as the top comment on the Ark: Aquatica trailer. Other viewers echoed this sentiment, describing the trailer as “pathetic” and “embarrassing.” The trailer showcases numerous instances of AI-generated anomalies, including fish that blur in and out of existence, a grotesquely distorted hand holding a spear gun, a levitating octopus in front of an ambiguous shipwreck, and human feet morphing into flippers.
Marvel as this man's foot magically turns into a fin.
In response to the controversy, original Ark: Survival Evolved developer Studio Wildcard has distanced itself from the project, clarifying on social media that Ark: Aquatica is not being developed by its team. The studio emphasized its ongoing commitment to "Ark: Survival Ascended & Ark 2," and expressed excitement about the upcoming release of "Ark: Lost Colony" later this year.
The future of Ark 2 has been a topic of concern among fans since it missed its previously planned late 2024 release window. However, Studio Wildcard confirmed this week that development on the dinosaur survival sequel is still in progress. 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."
