Fans have reacted negatively to the announcement of a major DLC for ARK: Survival Ascended. Gamers have strongly criticized Snail Studios for using neural networks, as the trailer did not feature a single frame created manually.
The ARK: Aquatica expansion was introduced to celebrate the tenth anniversary of the original game. Developers announced that 95% of the gameplay will take place underwater and promised to add 17 new creatures, unique equipment, tasks, and an “intriguing storyline.” However, the announcement trailer did not contain gameplay footage and was entirely created using neural networks, which caused strong rejection among gamers. The video’s voiceover, also created by generative networks, received separate criticism. At the time of publication, the original trailer has 96% negative ratings.
ARK: Survival Ascended is a mandatory update that replaced the original ARK: Survival Evolved. In addition to updated graphics, it features interactive vegetation, dynamic water, cross-platform multiplayer and modding, and includes all maps from the expansions.