"Ark Fans Criticize New Expansion Trailer for AI-Generated Content"

A new trailer for the Ark: Survival Evolved expansion from publisher Snail Games has sparked widespread outrage among the Ark community due to its heavy use of what appears to be low-quality generative AI imagery. The trailer was released following Snail Games’ announcement at GDC about its “in-house developed new expansion map, Ark: Aquatica,” which the studio describes as a non-canonical side story set in an ambitious underwater environment, with 95% of the gameplay occurring beneath the surface.

The backlash was swift and severe. Irish YouTuber Syntac, a prominent figure in the Ark community with over 1.9 million subscribers, condemned the trailer as “disgusting” and expressed shame towards Snail Games. His comment is currently the most upvoted on the Ark: Aquatica trailer. Other viewers echoed his sentiments, labeling the trailer as “pathetic” and “embarrassing.” The trailer is criticized for its numerous AI-generated errors, such as fish that blur in and out of existence, a deformed hand holding a spear gun, a levitating octopus in front of an indecisive shipwreck, and human feet morphing into flippers.

In response to the controversy, the original developer of Ark: Survival Evolved, Studio Wildcard, quickly distanced itself from the project. The studio clarified on social media that Ark: Aquatica is not being developed by their team and reiterated their commitment to Ark: Survival Ascended and Ark 2. They also announced their excitement for the upcoming release of Ark: Lost Colony, a new expansion for Ark: Survival Ascended that will serve as a lead-in to the sequel.

The future of Ark 2 had been uncertain after missing its previously planned late 2024 release window. However, Studio Wildcard confirmed this week that development is ongoing, and they also introduced Ark: Lost Colony, which will bridge the gap to the sequel.

Adding to the trailer's controversy, Ark: The Animated Series star Michelle Yeoh reprises her role, further highlighting the disconnect between the high-quality content fans expect and the AI-generated visuals presented in the trailer.