In fact, ARK 2 was supposed to be a successor to the popular survival game ARK: Survival Evolved this year. Additionally, an update to Unreal Engine 5 was planned. On March 31, Studio Wildcard then released a roadmap that shows how the survival game will proceed.
The reveal of the ARK roadmap on March 31 did not show any gameplay of ARK 2, as some fans had hoped. Instead, the community’s fears were confirmed: ARK 2 has been postponed to late 2024.
Moreover, the previously teased “Unreal Engine 5” update is not free – it will be released in August 2023 as a paid next-gen remaster on PS5, Xbox, or Steam.
Furthermore, Wildcard announced that with the release of the remaster, the official servers of the survival game will be shut down. Although the game will still be playable on private servers and in single-player mode, those who wish to continue playing on the official servers will need to purchase the remaster.
The reveal trailer of ARK 2, shown at the Game Awards 2020, mentioned a release in 2022. We are now far from that:
What kind of remaster is this? The remaster will be released under the title “ARK: Survival Ascended” and is primarily a next-gen update for the aged survival game. It will be available exclusively for PS5, Xbox Series X/S, and PC. Last-generation consoles PS4, Xbox One, and Nintendo Switch will miss out.
In addition, ARK: Survival Ascended utilizes Unreal Engine 5, bringing not only improved graphics and performance but also cross-platform modding, allowing console players to also use mods.
It will no longer be bundled with ARK 2, but the DLCs Scorched Earth, Aberration, Extinction, Genesis Part 1, and Genesis Part 2 are included. The price after the change is 60 euros.
How much does the remaster cost? If you are playing on PS5, ARK: Survival Ascended will cost you $39.99 – which is expected to be around 40 euros. PC and Xbox players will have to pay around 50 euros ($49.99).
Additionally, the add-ons Scorched Earth, Aberration, Extinction, and Genesis Part 1 and 2 are not included in the remaster and will be released in 2024 as paid DLCs. According to Wildcard, the base game contains the map “The Island”, the battle royale mode “Survival of The Fittest”, and “Non-Canon” DLC maps.
- Explorers Pass – $19.99 (Scorched Earth, Aberration, Extinction)
- Genesis Pass – $19.99 (Genesis Part 1, Genesis Part 2)
The remaster costs more for PC and Xbox players because it is exclusively available in a bundle with ARK 2 for the entire first year. So you need to purchase an additional game for which you have not seen any gameplay yet.
If you are still interested in ARK 2, you can read all the known information summarized here:
