Ark Fans Criticize AI-Generated Expansion Trailer

The recently released trailer for the new Ark: Survival Evolved expansion from publisher Snail Games has sparked significant backlash from the Ark community. The trailer, showcasing the expansion titled Ark: Aquatica, has been criticized for its use of generative AI imagery, which many fans found to be of poor quality.

Following Snail Games' announcement at GDC about their "in-house developed new expansion map," the studio presented Ark: Aquatica as a non-canonical side story set in an ambitious underwater environment, where 95% of the gameplay occurs beneath the surface. However, the trailer's reception has been overwhelmingly negative.

Prominent Ark community member and Irish YouTuber Syntac, with over 1.9 million subscribers, expressed 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 fans echoed similar sentiments, calling the trailer "pathetic" and "embarrassing," and pointing out numerous instances of AI-generated visual errors, such as fish that blur in and out of existence, a distorted hand gripping a spear gun, a levitating octopus in front of an ambiguous shipwreck, and human feet morphing into flippers.

In response to the controversy, the original developer of Ark: Survival Evolved, Studio Wildcard, quickly clarified on social media that they are not involved with Ark: Aquatica. They emphasized their focus on Ark: Survival Ascended and Ark 2, and announced the upcoming release of Ark: Lost Colony, a new expansion for Ark: Survival Ascended that will set the stage for the sequel.

Amidst uncertainties about the future of Ark 2, which missed its previously planned late 2024 release window, Studio Wildcard confirmed this week that development on the dinosaur survival sequel is ongoing. They also introduced Ark: Lost Colony, which will bridge the narrative to the sequel.

Adding to the trailer's intrigue, Ark: The Animated Series star Michelle Yeoh reprises her role, bringing a familiar face to the new expansion's promotional material.