Puzzling Trailer for AI-Generated Ark: Aquatica Leaves Gaming Community Baffled
At this year's Game Developers Conference (GDC) 2025, several exciting announcements were made, but none have sparked as much controversy as the unexpected reveal of Ark: Aquatica.
The new expansion for the original Ark: Survival Evolved, developed by Snail Games, was unveiled at the same event. Ark: Aquatica, with its focus on underwater and aquatic themes, aims to expand the Ark series' universe, integrating new gameplay mechanics related to water environments. The game is scheduled for release in June 2026.
However, the trailer for Ark: Aquatica, which was released shortly after the announcement, has been met with criticism. Many viewers have questioned the quality of the trailer, with some joking that it resembles an AI-generated production. The trailer has since been removed from Snail Games' YouTube profile, and it has received over a thousand comments lambasting it. One commenter humorously suggested the game should be titled 'Ark: No-Effort-Involved'.
This debacle recalls the alleged AI slop, Catly, that was shown at the Game Awards 2024. The controversy surrounding Ark: Aquatica has led many to wonder about the involvement of AI in its development.
Meanwhile, Studio Wildcard, the developers of the upcoming Unreal Engine 5 remake, Ark: Survival Ascended, have distanced themselves from the Ark: Aquatica DLC. Wildcard's official Ark: Survival Ascended X account stated that they had nothing to do with the project before it was even announced.
In other news from GDC 2025, Studio Wildcard revealed a teaser for Ark: Lost Colony, an upcoming DLC for Ark: Survival Ascended. The DLC can be wishlisted on Steam now and will be available for pre-order in June 2025.
Additionally, the new Filled Path tool was added to Adobe Substance 3D Painter at GDC 2025.
Despite the uncertainty surrounding Ark: Aquatica, it seems that Studio Wildcard is entirely dedicated to the production of ARK: Survival Ascended and ARK 2. We will continue to follow the developments of these exciting projects and bring you updates as they become available.
