A new Ark: Survival Evolved expansion trailer from publisher Snail Games has sparked intense backlash within the Ark community due to its heavy use of substandard generative AI imagery. The trailer was unveiled shortly after Snail Games’ GDC announcement of its “in-house developed new expansion map, Ark: Aquatica”. Described by the studio as a non-canonical side story to Ark, the expansion promises 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, expressed his dismay with a top comment on the trailer: "This is disgusting and you should be ashamed of yourselves." Echoing Syntac's sentiment, other viewers have labeled the trailer as "pathetic" and "embarrassing." The trailer's AI-generated visuals are filled with noticeable flaws, such as fish that blur in and out of existence, a grotesquely deformed hand gripping a spear gun, a levitating octopus in front of an indecisive shipwreck, and human feet morphing into flippers.
For its part, the original developer of Ark: Survival Evolved, Studio Wildcard, has quickly distanced itself from the controversy. The studio clarified on social media that Ark: Aquatica is not a project of their team, emphasizing their focus on "Ark: Survival Ascended & Ark 2." They also announced their excitement for bringing "Ark: Lost Colony" to fans later this year, an expansion that will lead into the sequel.
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 ongoing. Additionally, they introduced Ark: Lost Colony, a new expansion for Ark: Survival Ascended that will bridge the gap to the sequel.
In the trailer for Ark: Aquatica, Michelle Yeoh reprises her role from Ark: The Animated Series, adding a familiar face to the contentious new expansion.
