Fans Outraged Over Ark’s Latest AI Stuffed DLC Trailer

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Over the past few years, it seems as though our bodies have received an expansion pack of emotions akin to a game DLC, specifically the sensation that arises when observing content clearly produced by artificial intelligence. Whether it’s Coca-Cola’s recent holiday commercial or billboards lining our streets, our internal AI detection alarms have been sounding incessantly.

It’s not shocking that the latest trailer for the upcoming DLC of Ark: Survival Evolved, named Ark: Aquatica, has fans upset due to its reliance on AI. Instead of merely blending AI content with gameplay, the trailer offers a deceptive portrayal of what the DLC will actually look like in reality.

Initially, it appears as if each frame in this trailer was produced by an AI content creator. From the lifelike humanoid figures that border on the unsettling to the animated octopus tentacles that breathe, our internal AI-detection system is sounding off like a warning alarm every step of the way.

It seems that the first 10 seconds of the live video might be extracted directly from a real game, but virtually all other scenes are populated with images generated by an artificial intelligence tool.

As a gamer, it seems this trailer is more like an AI-inspired comedy skit on YouTube than genuine gameplay footage. The plants and fish give me the heebie-jeebies, the human characters feel stiff and devoid of life, and those octopuses’ tentacles move in bizarre, unmistakably AI-crafted patterns.

As a captivated viewer, I found myself drawn to a striking scene in the trailer where a figure resembling a human walked towards a colossal underwater edifice. In the backdrop, vibrant sea corals swayed and glimmering bioluminescence danced in the distance beneath the water. Remarkably, this shot appeared to unfold entirely submerged, yet a distinct pool of water miraculously collected at the figure’s feet.

Using the YouTube Dislike Chrome extension, the trailer has garnered close to 60,000 views, but only 200 likes compared to over 7,000 dislikes, making it one of the most extraordinary like-to-dislike ratios we’ve encountered for a game announcement.

The leading comments on the YouTube video suggest that viewers find it humorous and critique the ad’s creators for what they perceive as a lack of effort put into the advertisement.

“Please sell the Ark Franchise to literally anyone else.”

“There’s a bit of Ark in your AI”

It’s clear now why Wildcard mentioned he wasn’t part of it. I wouldn’t get my hands dirty in this situation myself.

The Commerical Impact Of AI Game Trailers

In the context of video games, receiving mockery for an AI (Artificial Intelligence) trailer can have a greater effect than one might initially assume. To illustrate, take the example of Coca-Cola launching an AI advertisement. When consumers purchase and drink Coca-Cola, they generally know what to expect due to brand recognition, but this isn’t always the case with video games because the experience is often dependent on the quality of the AI within the game itself.

To provide an engaging experience for potential gamers, it’s essential that a gameplay trailer highlights genuine gameplay scenes. If authentic gameplay footage is unavailable, the trailer should offer gamers a glimpse into what they can anticipate upon purchasing the game.

Using AI, it can be challenging to distinguish between scenes imagined by the developer and those generated autonomously by the AI system.

Trailers are often a significant unveiling for developers to showcase their hard work, which they’ve likely invested months, if not years, into. However, some view AI-generated trailers as an industry norm that’s become commonplace. At the very least, this trailer could be a blunder, but in the worst scenario, it might offer a glimpse of low production standards within the company, suggesting they have fewer quality control measures when creating their games.

Consider this food for thought: If businesses are increasingly relying on AI to streamline their marketing efforts, might they eventually apply similar strategies to the actual production of their products?

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2025-03-20 01:09