ARK 2 was announced by Wildcard at The Game Awards Show in late 2020. Hollywood star Vin Diesel takes on the role of the character Santiago, who plays an important role in the ARK universe. We will tell you what you need to know about him.
This is ARK 2: On December 11, 2020, Studio Wildcard announced ARK 2 during The Game Awards Show, the official successor to ARK: Survival Evolved. And although there isn’t much information about the title planned for 2022, we know it is also a survival MMO. The community therefore hopes for better performance than in the predecessor.
The trailer already shows that there will be dinosaurs again, and the science fiction elements are also present. Additionally, a familiar character from the ARK universe appears; Santiago, portrayed by Vin Diesel.
This is “Santiago Da Costa”
Active ARK players may have already heard the name Santiago Da Costa. In the wild ARK story, which is told through the explorer notes in the game, Santiago appears as an important character.
What you need to know: To better understand Santiago’s background, you need to know that in the ARKs, humans and creatures from different time eras come together. The creatures and humans are merely clones brought to life with “stored souls.”
Therefore, you will also respawn with your characters on the beach when you die. Your spirit is simply placed in a new clone. The creators of the ARKs discovered that the soul continues to live in the brain even after death, allowing them to amalgamate souls from various eras.
Back to Santiago: Santiago Da Costa is a member of the “Federation Forces” from the future, at least from our perspective. In Santiago’s original time, the TEK equipment was invented, making him technically skilled.
Santiago first appears in Aberration
In ARK: Survival Evolved, you never meet Santiago personally, as he has long been gone. He first appears in the notes in the Aberration DLC, where he plans to escape the ARK with other survivors. He assists in destroying one of the three obelisk towers to eliminate the Overseer – the final boss of each ARK – with a TEK bomb.
This, however, has dire consequences, and the Aberration ARK is nearly destroyed. The entire surface becomes uninhabitable, forcing everyone to retreat underground. There, Santiago and the others build the Gateway Project, a series of portals to pursue a signal from Earth and reach it.
Even in Aberration, Santiago stands out with his technical skills compared to others. His knowledge also allows him to give precise instructions. Although he is not the sole leader of the group, he is a respected member and part of the clan leadership.
The Gateway Project is successful, and they ultimately manage to escape the ARK and reach Earth.
Santiago in Extinction and his end
In the Extinction addon, there are iconic battle robots that were also designed and built by Santiago. The Omega Project was intended to defend against the “Element” contaminated creatures. Element is a resource from Extinction that has caused the creatures on Earth to mutate.
This is Santiago’s end: Santiago died in the Extinction addon, even before we players reached Earth. When the Titans, the big bosses of the DLC, moved, Santiago took control of a battle robot to distract them away from the camp. Therefore, Santiago is a hero to whom many owe their lives.
What does this mean for ARK 2?
With Extinction and Santiago’s death, all records of him conclude. He does not appear in further addons, with only his grave being accessible for players today.
However, in the ARK 2 trailer, we see that he is the leader of a small group that does not yet have TEK equipment. He seems to know what TEK is and can handle it.
Here’s how it might unfold: ARK 2 takes place either before the events of ARK: Survival Evolved, at a time when Santiago has not yet joined the other survivors in the Aberration ARK. Or he has somehow managed to escape his death.
After all, he had equipped the battle robots with teleportation technology. This was supposed to allow four robots to link together across an atomic plane. Perhaps he teleported into another ARK and has been living there ever since.
What do you think, what is going on with Santiago Da Costa in ARK 2? In which time could the successor to the survival MMO take place? Share your thoughts in the comments.
For now, ARK players can look forward to Genesis Part 2 and the possibly largest map yet.
