AI-Generated Trailer for Ark: Aquatica DLC Sparks Controversy and Developer Backlash
10 Sources
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Ark: Survival Evolved fans blast AI-slop trailer for Aquatica DLC
Michael McWhertor is a journalist with more than 17 years of experience covering video games, technology, movies, TV, and entertainment. Ark: Survival Evolved publisher Snail Games released a bizarre, poorly received trailer for a new expansion, Ark: Aquatica, on Wednesday, drawing immediate ire
[2]
New Ark DLC gets AI-generated trailer so awful that the original developer's washing its hands of the whole thing, and fans are in uproar: 'This is disgusting and you should be ashamed'
It's been an odd week for Ark fans, with a new tease for Ark: Survival Ascended DLC The Lost Colony, launching in November, featuring a blink-and-you'll-miss-it mention of Ark 2. This came alongside the announcement of an expansion for Ark: Survival Evolved from developer Snail Games called Ark:
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Ark: Aquatica DLC trailer slammed for its blatant use of AI slop
A recent trailer for Snail Games' Aquatica expansion for Ark: Survival Evolved has been ripped to shreds by fans, who have accused it of being AI-generated. 'Oh come on Victoria, surely these people are just overreacting. It can't be that bad,' I hear you say? Oh, believe me, it can. The trailer,
[4]
Ark: Aquatica developer shifts blame for disastrous AI trailer onto marketing team
You may still be thinking about the recent trailer for Snail Games' Ark: Aquatica expansion, but not because it was so impressive it left a long lasting impression of wonder and awe. Rather, you probably still think about it because it was so unimpressive with its heavy handed use of AI
[5]
Ark devs distance themselves from AI-generated trailer: 'we did not know that they were doing it'
The reaction to the clearly AI-generated trailer for Ark's upcoming underwater DLC Aquatica was divided, in the sense that some people hated it and some people really hated it. "This is disgusting and you should be ashamed of yourselves" is the first comment underneath the trailer on YouTube, and
[6]
Ark: Survival Evolved Fans Can't Believe How Bad Its Newest Trailer Looks
A surprise trailer for Ark: Survival Evolved teased its new water-based expansion Aquatica this week and fans are livid. That's because the video appears to make generous use of AI-generated footage to show a bland and incoherent mashup of underwater scenes that have nothing to do with the
[7]
Just days after hinting at Ark 2, a new AI-generated trailer for Ark: Survival Evolved's upcoming aquatic DLC drops - and fans aren't impressed
As the wait for Ark 2 continues, fans are still playing Studio Wildcard and Sail Games' first survival game, Ark: Survival Evolved - but it's safe to say its latest DLC reveal isn't going too well. Unveiling the new Aquatica map DLC with what appears to be an AI-generated trailer during this
[8]
Ark: Survival Evolved unveils next expansion at GDC... with a fully AI-created trailer
We have to accept, regardless of how we feel about it, that artificial intelligence has already entered the creative process in film, music and, of course, video games. Steam recently implemented a new policy for publishing games on its platform in which any game that has made use of artificial
[9]
Terrible AI-generated Ark: Aquatica trailer leaves gamers bewildered
It's surprising to see the same game franchise get one trailer so right and another trailer so wrong within a day of each other. Just yesterday we were reporting from GDC 2025 on fans' excitement about Studio Wildcard's anime teaser for Ark: Lost Colony, the upcoming DLC for the Unreal Engine 5
[10]
Ark: Survival Evolved Fans Lash Expansion Trailer Filled With AI-Generated Slop
A new Ark: Survival Evolved expansion trailer from publisher Snail Games has been resoundingly condemned by the Ark community for being filled with evidence of appalling generative AI imagery. The trailer was released in the wake of Snail Games' GDC announcement of its "in-house developed new
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The release of an AI-generated trailer for Ark: Survival Evolved's new DLC, Ark: Aquatica, has caused outrage among fans and led to developers distancing themselves from the controversial marketing decision.
AI-Generated Trailer Sparks Outrage
The gaming community was thrown into turmoil when Snail Games, the publisher of Ark: Survival Evolved, released a trailer for their new DLC, Ark: Aquatica. The trailer, which appeared to be almost entirely AI-generated, has been met with widespread criticism and derision from fans and content creators alike
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.The trailer features uncanny visuals, unnatural movements, and bizarre artifacts typical of AI-generated content. Viewers were quick to point out oddities such as characters with three hands, fish phasing in and out of existence, and an octopus with only six tentacles
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. The robotic voice narration further added to the artificial feel of the presentation.Community and Developer Backlash
Popular Ark streamer Syntac didn't mince words, commenting, "This is disgusting and you should be ashamed of yourselves"
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. The sentiment was echoed across social media platforms and gaming forums, with fans expressing their disappointment and anger at what they perceived as a lazy and out-of-touch marketing approach2
.Even Studio Wildcard, the original developer of Ark: Survival Evolved, distanced itself from the controversy. They clarified on social media that they were not involved in the Aquatica project and remained focused on other Ark-related developments
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.Developer Response and Clarification
In the wake of the backlash, Snail Games' lead game designer Matt Kohl attempted to shift blame away from the development team. He stated, "That [trailer] was done by our marketing department. They took our assets and then ran them through an AI to animate them. That was marketing"
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. Kohl emphasized that no AI had been used in the actual development of Aquatica and that the development team was unaware of the marketing department's decision to use AI for the trailer5
.Related Stories
Implications for AI in Gaming Marketing
This incident has sparked discussions about the use of AI in game marketing and development. While AI tools are becoming increasingly prevalent in various industries, this case demonstrates the potential pitfalls of relying too heavily on AI-generated content, especially when it comes to representing a beloved gaming franchise
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.Future of Ark Franchise
Amidst the controversy, Studio Wildcard reaffirmed its commitment to other projects in the Ark universe, including Ark: Survival Ascended and Ark 2
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. The incident has left many fans questioning the direction of the franchise and the decision-making processes behind its marketing strategies.As the release date for Ark: Aquatica approaches in June, it remains to be seen how this controversy will impact its reception and whether Snail Games will adjust their marketing approach in response to the overwhelmingly negative feedback
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