"Ark Fans Outraged Over AI-Generated Expansion Trailer"

The gaming community of Ark: Survival Evolved has expressed strong disapproval of the latest expansion trailer for Ark: Aquatica, released by publisher Snail Games. Unveiled following Snail Games' announcement at GDC about their new in-house developed expansion map, Ark: Aquatica is set to offer players a non-canonical side story with an ambitious underwater setting where 95% of the gameplay occurs beneath the surface.

The trailer has drawn sharp criticism from fans, particularly from Irish YouTuber Syntac, a prominent figure in the Ark community with over 1.9 million subscribers. Syntac's top comment on the trailer, labeling it as "disgusting" and expressing shame towards Snail Games, echoes the sentiment of many viewers. The trailer is riddled with what appears to be poorly executed generative AI imagery, including bizarre visual anomalies such as fish that blur in and out of existence, a grotesquely deformed hand holding a spear gun, a levitating octopus in front of an ambiguous shipwreck, and human feet transforming into flippers.

In response to the backlash, the original developers of Ark: Survival Evolved, Studio Wildcard, have quickly clarified on social media that Ark: Aquatica is not a project of their team. They reaffirmed their commitment to Ark: Survival Ascended and Ark 2, and announced excitement for the upcoming expansion Ark: Lost Colony, set to release later this year.

Amidst concerns about the future of Ark 2, which missed its previously planned late 2024 release, Studio Wildcard confirmed ongoing development and introduced Ark: Lost Colony as a new expansion for Ark: Survival Ascended that will set the stage for the sequel.

Adding to the trailer's intrigue, Ark: The Animated Series star Michelle Yeoh reprises her role, further blending the game's universe with its animated counterpart.