A newARK: Survival EvolvedDLC is just around the corner, a surprise release for an otherwise defunct game, but fans aren’t excited, instead calling for the intellectual property to be sold. TheARKfranchise is owned by Snail Games USA, which appears to be developing the new DLC,ARK: Aquatica, in-house while the regular developerStudio Wildcardcontinues work on the remastered version,ARK: Survival Ascended, and thelong-delayed sequel,ARK 2.
Snail Games USArecently dropped a release date trailer forARK: Aquatica, revealing the unexpected expansion will come out on July 15. Instead of excitement at the new content,the trailer’s comment section is filled with fans urging Snail Games to “sell the IP.“LongtimeARKplayers have taken issue with the release of this legacy DLC afterASE’s official servers were shut down. This is only the latest episode in the community railing against the franchise’s ownership, with comments alluding to the mixed messaging aboutSurvival Ascended’s price prior to its release, and the general state of development and poor communication regardingARK 2.
Ark: Aquatica’s Release Date Trailer Isn’t Pleasing Fans
Snail Games' Troubled Expansion
While some comments take specific umbrage towards this new release date trailer, pointing out the rather plain direction, theARKfanbase’s ire regardingAquaticaextends further back. Controversy first struck when anARK: Aquaticatrailer generated by AIwas uploaded, thensubsequently delisted in response to the immense backlash. This predictably soured fans onAquaticapermanently, with agameplay trailerreleased in June having its comment section disabled;Aquatica’s new release date trailer perhaps illustrates why.
At the time of writing,theARK: Aquaticarelease date trailer has well over 21,000 views, but has not received even 40 likes. Many comments are predicting that sales ofAquaticawill be poor – the community seems intent on ensuring it’s a failure. The response to the aforementioned AI trailer was so voracious thatStudio Wildcard distanced itselffrom the DLC, pointing fans towardAquatica’s developer, Snail Games USA, “for more updates.”
What Ark Fans Are Saying After Aquatica’s New Trailer
Nothing Good
It’s weirdly quite impressive to seeARKplayers so aligned. It’s difficult to find any comments that could even pass as ambivalent. The top comment insinuates Snail Games' greed in developing a DLC for a game it once abandoned: “Just IMAGINE how much money you could get from selling Ark….” One commenter says,“The price tag for this map is too high, even if it’s free.”
SinceAquatica’s announcement, it’s been clear thatARKplayers are not interested in the DLC, especially if it’s paid, but even if it’s given away.ASEhas seen long-term success, and so too hasASAto a lesser extent, and those dedicated, years-long fans seem to have long since grown tired of Snail Games' stewardship.Aquaticawill release forARK: Survival Evolvedon July 15, but it doesn’t have much momentum, painting a bleak picture of its financial performance.
Source: Snail Games USA/YouTube (1,2)
ARK: Survival Evolved
Developed and published by Studio Wildcard, ARK: Survival Evolved is an indie survival game in which players find themselves stranded on an island and forced to craft shelter and hunt animals to survive. As players progress, they will be able to tame wildlife, including an array of dinosaurs, which they can use to help them battle against threats and other players.
