AI has been a hot topic in the gaming world. Sure, creating smart NPCs and using AI for anti-cheat is great, but when it comes to the creative side of game development, things can get messy. And that’s exactly what happened with Snail Games USA’s latest trailer for ARK’s Aquatica expansion.
The trailer, which was supposed to tease an underwater adventure, showcased the bizarre mess created by AI. And, let’s just say, the response from fans wasn’t exactly “Take my money!” Naturally, they were not thrilled with the AI-infused trailer, sparking a backlash across social media.
But instead of standing up for their work, Lead Developer, Matt Kohl, was quick to throw the marketing team under the bus. It’s safe to say the plot thickens.
The blame game begins after ARK: Aquatica trailer release
In just a few days after the trailer‘s release, the backlash hit full force, prompting the developers to make a statement. But instead of taking responsibility or offering a more nuanced explanation, Snail Games USA’s Lead Developer, Matt Kohl, pulled a classic “not me” move.
Kohl made it clear that the development team had no involvement with the controversial trailer, pointing the finger at the marketing department. In an interview with PocketTactics, Kohl said:
The marketing department used still images of some of our assets to create an AI-animated trailer. That was not part of the development team; we did not know that they were doing it.
It almost sounds like a line from the “How to deflect blame 101” script. However, to make things clearer and calm the wild fans, Kohl also explained that no AI tools were used in the actual development of the Aquatica expansion.
He assured fans that the final product would not include any AI-generated content. This has given some reassurance, but this does raise some questions: How did this slip through the cracks? Where was the communication between the two teams?
If it’s indeed true that the marketing team didn’t inform the development team about the AI usage, it might need more than just a quick PR fix.
AI and its impact on game development
There’s no denying that AI has improved certain aspects of the game, like making enemies smarter, enhancing personalization or even helping with procedural content generation.
However, there needs to be a limit to where AI should be used. Its usage in areas like game aesthetics which include art design, animation, and trailers is not problematic and must be avoided.
Gamers expect a level of authenticity and craftsmanship from the games they love. When AI is used, it not only feels like a shortcut or a cheap trick, but it also undermines the work done by artists.
Human artists put in the time and effort to ensure that every texture, every movement, and every frame resonates with the game’s tone and vision. AI, on the other hand, lacks the emotional understanding and depth that a human touch brings to the process.
This is exactly what happened with the expansion’s trailer, where players felt that it was off-putting and transitions were sloppy. Don’t even talk about some of the bizarre-looking fishes.
In the end, Snail Games USA’s development team might have dodged the bullet this time by pinning the blame on its marketing team, but this incident has undoubtedly left a mark.
This post belongs to FandomWire and first appeared on FandomWire
