The newly released trailer for the Ark: Survival Evolved expansion, Ark: Aquatica, from publisher Snail Games has sparked intense backlash within the Ark community. The trailer, unveiled shortly after Snail Games' announcement at GDC about their "in-house developed new expansion map," has been criticized heavily for its use of what appears to be poorly executed generative AI imagery. Snail Games portrays Ark: Aquatica as a non-canonical side story set in an ambitious underwater environment, where 95% of the gameplay occurs beneath the surface.
Prominent Irish YouTuber Syntac, known for his Ark-related content and boasting over 1.9 million subscribers, expressed strong disapproval, stating, "This is disgusting and you should be ashamed of yourselves." His comment currently holds the top spot on the trailer's comment section. The broader community echoed his sentiments, labeling the trailer as "pathetic" and "embarrassing." The trailer's AI-generated visuals are evident, featuring unsettling anomalies like fish that blur in and out of existence, a grotesquely misshaped hand gripping a spear gun, an octopus levitating before a shipwreck that seems unsure of its form, and human feet transforming into flippers.
In response, original Ark: Survival Evolved developer Studio Wildcard has quickly clarified on social media that they are not involved with Ark: Aquatica. They emphasized their commitment to the ongoing projects, Ark: Survival Ascended and Ark 2, and announced excitement for the upcoming Ark: Lost Colony expansion, which will bridge into the sequel. This comes after the uncertain future of Ark 2, which missed its previously planned late 2024 release window, though Studio Wildcard confirmed this week that development is still progressing.
Adding to the trailer's appeal, Ark: The Animated Series star Michelle Yeoh reprises her role, bringing a familiar face to the controversial expansion.
