The recent release of a trailer for the new Ark: Survival Evolved expansion titled "Ark: Aquatica" by publisher Snail Games has sparked significant backlash from the game's community. The trailer, which followed Snail Games' announcement at GDC about their "in-house developed new expansion map," has been heavily criticized for its use of what appears to be low-quality generative AI imagery.
Snail Games describes "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 community's reaction has been overwhelmingly negative. Irish YouTuber Syntac, a prominent figure in the Ark community with over 1.9 million subscribers, labeled the trailer as "disgusting" and urged Snail Games to feel ashamed. His comment currently stands as the most upvoted on the trailer's YouTube page.
Viewers have pointed out numerous instances of what they term "AI slop" within the trailer. These include fish that blur in and out of existence, a disturbingly deformed hand holding a spear gun, a levitating octopus in front of an ambiguous shipwreck, and human feet morphing into flippers, among other visual anomalies.
In response to the controversy, the original developer of Ark: Survival Evolved, Studio Wildcard, has publicly distanced itself from the project. The studio clarified on social media that "Ark: Aquatica" is not being developed by their team and reaffirmed their commitment to "Ark: Survival Ascended" and "Ark 2," along with the upcoming expansion "Ark: Lost Colony," set to release later this year.
The future of "Ark 2" has been uncertain since it missed its planned late 2024 release window. However, Studio Wildcard confirmed this week that development is ongoing and introduced "Ark: Lost Colony," a new expansion for "Ark: Survival Ascended" that will serve as a precursor to the sequel.
Adding to the trailer's notable elements, Michelle Yeoh, star of "Ark: The Animated Series," reprises her role in the "Ark: Aquatica" trailer.
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