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Ark: Aquatica Trailer Sparks Negative Fan Reaction
The debut trailer for Ark: Aquatica, the upcoming underwater DLC for the popular survival game, has received a largely critical reception from the community. Many viewers have expressed strong disapproval of the trailer, with comments ranging from dislike to outright condemnation. One prominent Ark YouTuber, boasting over a million subscribers, labeled it “disgusting” and expressed shame towards the creators in the top comment on YouTube.
Development Responsibility and Studio Wildcard’s Stance
Snail Games is developing the Aquatica DLC, taking over from Studio Wildcard, the original creators of Ark. Studio Wildcard is currently prioritizing Ark: Survival Ascended and has been quick to distance itself from the trailer’s backlash. In a post on social media, they clarified: “ARK: Aquatica is under development by Snail Games USA Colorado. Please follow them for updates.” They further emphasized their continued focus on “ARK: Survival Ascended & ARK 2” and the upcoming “ARK: Lost Colony” DLC.
Developer Response to Trailer Criticism
Snail Games developers are now also distancing themselves from the trailer. Lead game designer Matt Kohl stated to Pocket Tactics, “The marketing department utilized still images of some of our assets to produce an AI-animated trailer. This action was independent of the development team; we were unaware of their plans.”
Trailer’s Quality and Fan Concerns
The trailer’s quality has been widely criticized, featuring aspects that have disappointed expectant fans:
- A voiceover likened to content from short-form video platforms.
- Character animations with inconsistent and unusual transformations, such as feet morphing into fins.
- Generic underwater environments drawing unfavorable comparisons to budget titles.
- Visually unappealing elements like “smearing” effects and random creature appearances.
These elements have contributed to a perception of low quality and a lack of seriousness.
AI Use in Development Clarification
Kohl clarified that AI tools are not being used in the development of Aquatica itself, and the final DLC will not reflect the trailer’s shortcomings. This raises questions about the trailer’s intended purpose and its disconnect from the actual game development.