ARK: Aquatica Trailer Sparks Outrage Over AI-Generated Mess

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A notable demonstration of the disfavor some gaming enthusiasts hold towards generative AI in gaming is evident in the strong negative response that Snail Games USA has received following the release of their ARK: Aquatica game trailer.

As I delve into the video, it initially appears as though the opening scenes are genuine real-time footage within a gaming environment. However, upon closer inspection, the subsequent imagery bears the distinct characteristics that I’ve come to recognize from AI-produced visuals, reminiscent of systems like SoraAI.

In this scenario, virtual fish seem to vanish without a trace, creating smeared paths as they glide. Meanwhile, humans exhibit movements that appear awkward and unnatural. The narrator’s voice is strikingly similar to those used by AI voice generators, resembling spoken text from popular TikTok videos that have gone viral.

It’s quite likely that AI-generated content in games will persist, but it doesn’t automatically mean the gaming community will embrace it wholeheartedly. Though AI can significantly enhance visuals with technologies like Intel’s XeSS and NVIDIA’s DLSS 4, it seems unlikely that AI will ever replace human artists to such an extent that it becomes widely popular or accepted as a replacement.

There isn’t much information available about this game specifically, but the reactions to its trailer suggest that both dedicated ARK series enthusiasts and casual observers haven’t reacted favorably. Given this, it’s not surprising that they haven’t embraced the idea positively.

YouTube users take to the comments

The trailer for ARK: Aquatica is receiving mostly negative feedback, as indicated by a prevailing sentiment of disappointment and hostility when reading through the initial comments. @Fire-Ice-GG, for instance, has commented, “‘Please sell the Ark Franchise to literally anyone else’“, which currently boasts 1.1K likes and an approval rating that is 482% higher than the trailer itself.

This is disgusting and you should be ashamed of yourselves.

The discussion persists as viewers express their disagreement with such excessive use of AI-generated content in video games. Given that the trailer is still up 19 hours after its initial release, it’s possible it could get taken down if the negative comments about it keep pouring in.

In many game trailers created by different developers, you might find pre-rendered cinematics instead of footage captured within the game itself. I was hoping to encounter some debates structured in this manner. However, the intense backlash from the AI community regarding generative AI visuals compared to human-made ones has overshadowed any signs of that debate.

Who pressed the “publish” button ??? it was supposed to be released on april 1st right ?

Although an April Fool’s prank might be premature, given the sparse content revealed in the trailer, some viewers are left speculating if this could be the reason behind it.

Right now, the Game Developers Conference (GDC), which occurs yearly, is underway, commencing on March 17th. Simultaneously, Snail Games USA has unveiled a trailer for ARK: Aquatica, timed perfectly with this occasion.

The specifics about AI usage in the upcoming game haven’t been made clear yet, but since the Game Developers Conference continues till March 21st, we might get more details shortly.

Despite the negative responses to the initial game trailer, it poses a challenge for the developers and publishers to alter the public’s view during further development. This issue has been brought to light in recent discussions, with Ashly Burch from Horizon Forbidden West addressing the topic of AI-generated content in games.

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2025-03-19 19:41