The highly anticipated dino sequel ARK 2 will not be released as planned this year. Instead, there will be a remaster of ARK: Survival Evolved.
What is happening at Studio Wildcard? In a blog post on the afternoon of March 31 local time, the studio announced its plans for the upcoming year. And these are likely to be a considerable disappointment for all fans eagerly awaiting a successor to the dino game ARK: Survival Evolved.
Because ARK 2 will not be released as planned this year, but only in late 2024.
Anyone looking for a survival alternative to bridge the wait until ARK 2 can take a look at the video:
ARK 2 will only come at the end of 2024
Why is ARK 2 being delayed? As Studio Wildcard explains, they need more time to get used to Unreal Engine 5 in order to fully utilize the new technology. Therefore, the launch of the sequel has been postponed to the end of 2024.
It was a difficult decision, the blog post states, but they are confident that they have done the right thing.
Our goal is to make ARK 2 the best possible game and to provide players with a truly exceptional and rewarding experience. The Unreal Engine 5 is an incredible new technology for us (and all other developers), and we want to fully utilize this cutting-edge technology as we develop a game of unprecedented scope from Studio Wildcard.
What happens now? Aside from the changed release date, not much should change for now. ARK 2 is still set to be released exclusively for Xbox, Game Pass, and the Windows distribution platforms. A shirtless Vin Diesel will likely still be part of it.
Studio Wildcard announces that they will keep fans informed and involve them in the development processes. In the coming months, assets from ARK 2 are to be regularly shown. However, there will likely be no gameplay, screenshots, or even videos this year.
Instead, the studio comforts fans with a remaster of the original Ark: Survival Evolved.
Instead of ARK 2, there is Ark: Survival Ascended
What kind of remaster is this? The next-gen remaster of the first ARK is supposed to be called “ARK: Survival Ascended” and is expected to be released in August 2023 for Xbox Series S/X, PC, and PlayStation 5 – provided it is not delayed.
The special thing: the remaster is supposed to utilize the technology of Unreal Engine 5, just like the delayed sequel. According to the studio, there are two reasons for this:
- On the one hand, they want to develop a deeper understanding of the new technologies with the remaster and test some of the “riskier” technical advancements.
- On the other hand, ARK 2 is supposed to come with some changes compared to the original that may not be to everyone’s liking. The studio mentions a soulslike combat system with only primitive weapons, a strict limitation to 3rd person, and an overall more serious tone. To ensure that all players can enjoy it, there will be a next-gen version of the original that fans can enjoy for many years to come.
How much does ARK: Survival Ascended cost? For Xbox and PC players, the remaster will only be available as the “ARK Respawned Bundle” with the sequel ARK 2. For $49.99, players will then get the remaster and one month of access to the closed beta of ARK 2.
After one year, ARK: Survival Ascended and ARK 2 will then be sold separately. For PS5 fans, the remaster will be available as a standalone for $39.99.
Additionally, there will be two expansions available for $19.99 each, which will be sold separately across all platforms.
- the “Explorer’s Pass” with the expansions “Scorched Earth”, “Aberration (coming late 2023)” and “Extinction (early 2024)”
- the “Genesis Pass” with “Genesis Part 1 and 2” (available 2024)
