Ark 2 delayed, Survival Evolved official servers to shut down later this year
UPDATE 12/04/23: Studio Wildcard has backtracked on plans to release its Ark Respawned Bundle (which would have included Ark: Survival Ascended and Ark 2 on its release).
In a new blog update, the developer announced it was “scrapping” this bundle following feedback from players.
“Our intention behind this was to provide a package where you essentially got two products for the price of one. In hindsight, not the best move,” the studio wrote, before admitting: “Our bad”.
“We recognise how combining Ark Survival Ascended with Ark 2 and requiring further DLC upgrades wasn’t optimal, especially since you wouldn’t be able to judge Ark 2 as no gameplay or content would be available yet.”
Instead of this bundle, Ark: Survival Ascended will now be released as a standalone package across PC (via Windows/Steam), as well as Xbox Series X/S and PS5. This will cost $59.99.
Below is what you can now expect from Ark: Survival Ascended:
The Island (Released at Launch)Survival of the Fittest: The Island & Scorched Earth map variants (Released at Launch)Scorched Earth (Released at Launch)Aberration (Released by Q4 2023)Extinction (Released by Q1 2024)Genesis Part 1 (Released by Q1 2024)Genesis Part 2 (Released by Q2 2024)All the community-created maps are also to be released over time in 2024 (Fjordur, Ragnarok, The Center, Lost Island, Valguero, Crystal Isles)
The original story continues below.
ORIGINAL STORY 03/04/2023: Ark 2, the upcoming Vin Diesel-fronted dinosaur survival game, has been delayed until the “end of 2024”. In its stead, we have a remaster of the first game heading our way, with Ark: Survival Evolved’s current online servers set to shut down later this year.
In an update over the weekend, developer Studio Wildcard stated it needs more time to work on Ark 2, as the team is still getting to grips with Unreal Engine 5.
“Unreal Engine 5 is incredibly new technology to us (and all developers), and we aim to use this cutting-edge tech to its fullest potential while creating a game with never-before-achieved scope at Studio Wildcard,” it wrote.
“As we learn more about the engine and develop the sequel, we have adapted our workflows and adjusted our pipelines to accommodate this new next-generation paradigm, and because of everything that involves, we need more time for development.”
The studio has said it will not be sharing any “gameplay/screenshots/videos” for its sequel this year. It is, however, releasing a remaster of Ark: Survival Evolved, known as Ark: Survival Ascended.
This remaster is set to release by “the end of August” this year, across Xbox Series X/S, PC (Windows/Steam), and PlayStation 5. Survival Ascended’s base game will include The Island, Survival of the Fittest , and all the “Non-Canon” DLC maps (something Studio Wildcard states will be added over time).
