Ark: Survival Evolved is coming in remastered form to PC, PS5 and Xbox, but sequel Ark 2 has been pushed back to 2024.
Almost six years on from its initial full release, Ark: Survival Evolved is about to get a current-gen makeover. Called Ark: Survival Ascended, the remaster is scheduled for release on PC, PS5 and Xbox Series X/S in August.
As well as the base game, Ark: Survival Ascended will include previously-available bits of DLC, including The Island and Survival of the Fittest.
How you actually acquire the remaster varies from system to system. PlayStation 5 owners will be able to buy Survival Ascended by itself for $39.99 at launch. PC and Xbox X/S owners, meanwhile, will need to buy the Ark Respawned Bundle, priced $49.99, which bundles together Ark: Survival Ascended and the upcoming Ark 2. The bundle also includes a closed beta trial that will go live before Ark 2’s release.
“This bundle will be available to purchase from the end of August for up to 1 year,” developer Studio Wildcard’s website reads, adding: “after which ARK: Survival Ascended and ARK 2 will be sold separately.”
Slightly convoluted buying options aside, the Ark remake sounds like a comprehensive one; it essentially ports the whole game over to Unreal Engine 5, so expect more realistic water and foliage, ray tracing, as well as other quality-of-life improvements.
The remake’s announcement coincides with Studio Wildcard’s decision to delay Ark 2′s release to the end of 2024. The studio’s aim is to move development over to Unreal Engine 5, like the remaster.
“Our goal is to make Ark 2 the best game it can be and provide a truly exceptional and rewarding experience for players,” the studio’s announcement reads. “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. 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 announcement comes with a surprising admission: “We also recognise that Ark 2 has some pretty significant design changes from the original game, which may not make it as appealing to everyone,” the studio writes, “which is why we feel it is essential to provide players with a fully next-gen version of the original experience.”
Whether fans of the original Ark like the sequel or not, they can at least be reassured that, thanks to the power of UE5, Ark 2 star Vin Diesel will look more detailed than ever.
