The recently released trailer for the new Ark: Survival Evolved expansion from publisher Snail Games has sparked widespread outrage within the Ark community. The trailer, which was intended to showcase the upcoming "Ark: Aquatica" expansion, has been heavily criticized for its use of what appears to be poorly executed generative AI imagery.

Following Snail Games' announcement at GDC about their "in-house developed new expansion map, Ark: Aquatica," expectations were high. Described as a non-canonical side story set in an ambitious underwater environment where 95% of the gameplay occurs beneath the surface, the expansion promised a unique experience. However, the trailer fell short of these expectations, leading to a fierce backlash from fans.

Prominent Ark community member and Irish YouTuber Syntac, who boasts over 1.9 million subscribers, expressed his disappointment bluntly, stating, "This is disgusting and you should be ashamed of yourselves." His comment is currently the most upvoted response to the trailer, reflecting the general sentiment among viewers. Other comments echoed this sentiment, describing the trailer as "pathetic" and "embarrassing."

The trailer is littered with obvious signs of AI-generated content, including fish that inexplicably blur in and out of existence, a grotesquely misshaped hand gripping a spear gun, an octopus seemingly levitating in front of an ambiguous shipwreck, and human feet that transform into floppy flippers mid-scene.

In response to the controversy, the original developers of Ark: Survival Evolved, Studio Wildcard, have quickly distanced themselves from the project. They clarified on social media that Ark: Aquatica is not being developed by their team. Instead, Studio Wildcard emphasized their commitment to the ongoing development of "Ark: Survival Ascended" and "Ark 2," and announced the upcoming release of "Ark: Lost Colony," a new expansion for Ark: Survival Ascended that will serve as a precursor to the sequel.

Amidst the uncertainty surrounding the previously planned late 2024 release of Ark 2, Studio Wildcard confirmed this week that the project is still in active development. This news comes as a relief to fans eagerly awaiting the dinosaur survival sequel.

Adding to the trailer's intrigue, Ark: The Animated Series star Michelle Yeoh reprises her role, providing a familiar face amidst the chaos.