A new trailer for the Ark: Survival Evolved expansion, Ark: Aquatica, released by publisher Snail Games, has sparked significant backlash within the Ark community. The trailer, unveiled following Snail Games' announcement at GDC about their "in-house developed new expansion map," showcases an ambitious underwater setting where 95% of the gameplay occurs beneath the surface. However, the community's reaction has been overwhelmingly negative due to the evident use of generative AI imagery in the trailer.
Irish YouTuber Syntac, a prominent figure in the Ark community with over 1.9 million subscribers, expressed his strong disapproval, stating, "This is disgusting and you should be ashamed of yourselves." His comment, reflecting the sentiments of many viewers, is currently the top comment on the Ark: Aquatica trailer. Other viewers have echoed similar sentiments, describing the trailer as "pathetic" and "embarrassing." The trailer features numerous instances of AI-generated anomalies, including fish that blur in and out of existence, a distorted hand holding a spear gun, a floating octopus in front of a shipwreck that appears more like a rock, and human feet transforming 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 quickly distanced itself from the project. The studio clarified on social media that Ark: Aquatica is not being developed by their team. They emphasized their ongoing commitment to Ark: Survival Ascended and Ark 2, and announced excitement for the upcoming expansion, Ark: Lost Colony, set to release later this year.
The future of Ark 2 has been uncertain since missing its previously planned late 2024 release window. However, Studio Wildcard confirmed this week that development on the dinosaur survival sequel is still in progress. They also introduced Ark: Lost Colony, a new expansion for Ark: Survival Ascended that will serve as a lead-in to the sequel.
Adding to the trailer's intrigue, Ark: The Animated Series star Michelle Yeoh reprises her role in the Ark: Aquatica trailer.
