Ark: Survival Evolved Fans Lash Expansion Trailer Filled With AI-Generated Slop

The recent trailer for the new Ark: Survival Evolved expansion, titled Ark: Aquatica, released by publisher Snail Games, has sparked significant backlash within the Ark community. The trailer, which followed Snail Games' announcement at GDC of their "in-house developed new expansion map," has been criticized for its heavy use of generative AI imagery. Snail Games portrays Ark: Aquatica as a non-canonical side story set in an ambitious underwater environment, with 95% of the gameplay occurring beneath the surface.

The reaction from the community has been overwhelmingly negative. Irish YouTuber Syntac, known for his Ark-focused content and boasting over 1.9 million subscribers, expressed strong disapproval, stating, "This is disgusting and you should be ashamed of yourselves." His comment is the most upvoted on the trailer's page. Other viewers echoed this sentiment, labeling the trailer as "pathetic" and "embarrassing." The trailer is filled with AI-generated artifacts, such as fish that appear and disappear randomly, a grotesquely deformed hand holding a spear gun, a levitating octopus in front of an indecisive shipwreck, and human feet that morph into flippers.

In response to the controversy, the original developer of Ark: Survival Evolved, Studio Wildcard, has distanced itself from the project. The studio took to social media to clarify that Ark: Aquatica is not being developed by their team. They emphasized their focus on Ark: Survival Ascended and Ark 2, and expressed excitement about the upcoming release of Ark: Lost Colony later this year.

Amidst uncertainties following the missed late 2024 release window for Ark 2, Studio Wildcard confirmed this week that development on the sequel is ongoing. They also announced Ark: Lost Colony, a new expansion for Ark: Survival Ascended, which will serve as a precursor to the sequel.

Adding to the trailer's appeal, Michelle Yeoh, star of Ark: The Animated Series, reprises her role in the Ark: Aquatica trailer.