As a professional gamer who's spent countless hours taming dinosaurs and building bases in the ARK universe, I'm thrilled to share some exciting updates about the franchise's future. Studio Wildcard has finally broken their silence on ARK 2, providing some much-needed reassurance to the community that's been anxiously waiting for news. The announcement came alongside the reveal of ARK: Lost Colony, a new expansion for Ark: Survival Ascended that will bridge narrative gaps and lead directly into ARK 2's world.
The Long Wait for ARK 2
It's been over four years since ARK 2 was first revealed at The Game Awards 2020 with that memorable CGI trailer featuring Vin Diesel. As someone who's been following every development, I remember the excitement that rippled through the gaming community. The promise of an Unreal Engine 5 sequel had us all imagining the possibilities. But the road has been long and filled with delays.
Originally scheduled for a 2023 release, ARK 2 has faced multiple postponements. The 2024 window also came and went without the game materializing. This silence had many of us in the community wondering if the project had been quietly shelved. I've seen the forums and Discord channels filled with speculation and concern.
Lost Colony: The Missing Link
The announcement of ARK: Lost Colony has breathed new life into the community's hopes. Set to launch in November 2025, this expansion for Ark: Survival Ascended will feature Academy Award winner Michelle Yeoh lending her voice talents. As someone who's deeply invested in ARK's surprisingly complex lore, I'm excited to see how Lost Colony connects the narratives between ARK: Extinction and ARK: Genesis.
More importantly, Studio Wildcard has confirmed that Lost Colony "leads into the events of ARK 2." This is the first concrete connection we've had between the current content and the upcoming sequel in quite some time. The studio also took to Twitter to reassure fans that they remain "entirely dedicated" to both Ark: Survival Ascended and ARK 2.
People Also Ask
When will ARK 2 be released?
Currently, there is no confirmed release date for ARK 2. The game has faced multiple delays since its announcement in 2020.
Is Vin Diesel still involved with ARK 2?
Yes, Vin Diesel was featured in the original announcement trailer and is expected to be part of the game, though details about his involvement have been limited.
Will ARK 2 be available on all platforms?
While specific platform information is still limited, ARK: Lost Colony will be available on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, and PC, suggesting ARK 2 may follow a similar release pattern.
The Controversial Path to ARK 2
The journey toward ARK 2 hasn't been without controversy. In 2023, Studio Wildcard announced Ark: Survival Ascended, a remaster of the original game that was released alongside the delay announcement for ARK 2. This remaster received mixed reviews on Steam, primarily due to performance issues that plagued its launch.
I remember the community backlash when Wildcard announced the "Ark: Respawned" bundle, which would have included both Survival Ascended and the unreleased ARK 2. The negative reaction was so strong that Wildcard eventually scrapped the bundle entirely. As someone who's been part of many gaming communities, I've rarely seen such a unified response against a publisher's monetization strategy.
Despite these setbacks, ARK 2 remains one of Steam's top ten most wishlisted games, sharing the spotlight with highly anticipated titles like Hollow Knight: Silksong, Subnautica 2, and Borderlands 4. This speaks volumes about the dedicated fanbase that continues to believe in the potential of this dinosaur-filled universe.
Looking Forward to Lost Colony
For ARK enthusiasts like myself who are eager for new content while waiting for the sequel, Lost Colony offers a promising stopgap. The expansion is set to release for PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, and PC in November 2025. Pre-orders will open in June, with exclusive preview gameplay content available to those who purchase early.
I'm particularly intrigued by how this expansion will set the stage for ARK 2. Will we see new mechanics that hint at gameplay changes in the sequel? Will the narrative threads provide clues about the setting and characters we'll encounter in ARK 2? These questions keep me checking for updates daily.
The Future of Survival Games
The ARK franchise has been a cornerstone of the survival genre since 2015. Through its various expansions, it has evolved from a simple dinosaur-taming game to a complex narrative about humanity, technology, and survival. The upcoming sequel represents not just the next chapter in this story, but potentially a new benchmark for survival games as a whole.
With Unreal Engine 5's capabilities, the possibilities for ARK 2 are immense. Dynamic weather systems, more realistic dinosaur behaviors, and vastly improved building mechanics are just a few features on my wishlist. The question remains: can Studio Wildcard deliver on the promises and expectations that have built up over these years of waiting?
As we approach the release of Lost Colony and inch closer to concrete news about ARK 2, I can't help but wonder: what element of the original ARK experience do you hope is most improved in the sequel? The taming mechanics? Base building? PvP balance? Or something else entirely?