On March 31, Studio Wildcard introduced that the Vin Diesel-starring survival sport Ark 2 could be delayed till 2024, and {that a} remaster of the unique Ark Survival Developed, constructed utilizing Unreal Engine 5, would launch as Ark Survival Ascended. Included with Survival Ascended could be entry to the complete Ark 2, with the bundle priced at $50 USD. Nonetheless, the developer has now altered its plans, asserting that Survival Ascended will as a substitute be offered individually for $59.99 USD, and can now not embrace entry to the sequel, as we method the Ark 2 launch date.
Survival Ascended, the UE5-driven remake of the primary Ark sport, was initially anticipated as a free replace, earlier than Studio Wildcard confirmed that it might as a substitute be bundled with the complete sequel, Ark 2, for $50 USD (£39.99 GBP).
This choice was criticised, because it required gamers who owned the unique Ark Survival Developed to primarily repurchase the sport fully in addition to commit to purchasing Ark 2, a sport that’s not anticipated to launch till late 2024 and is but to obtain its first gameplay trailer.
In response, Studio Wildcard has now fully modified its plans for the Ark remaster, and can promote Ark Survival Ascended with out the inclusion of Ark 2. The brand new bundle will embrace the remastered model of Ark Survival Developed in addition to its numerous growth packs. Many of those nonetheless usually are not presently launched, with some not anticipated till as late as the center of 2024.
The Island, Survival of the Fittest, and Scorched Earth DLCs will all be included and remastered as a part of Survival Ascended at launch, however every part else promised within the bundle is but to be unveiled.
This contains the Aberration growth, slated for This fall 2023, Extinction, scheduled for Q1 2024, and the 2 Genesis expansions which can even arrive in Q1 and Q2 of subsequent 12 months.
![YouTube Thumbnail](https://img.youtube.com/vi/D8KbXpk2J9Y/sddefault.jpg)
The initially introduced Ark bundle, which included Survival Ascended and entry to Ark 2, was priced at $50 – another model, which might additionally embrace all of the expansions, was initially deliberate for $90 USD (£70).
Studio Wildcard’s new model, nonetheless, which doesn’t embrace Ark 2, and as a substitute offers solely the remaster of Survival Ascended and its expansions will price a dearer $59.99 USD (£49.99 GBP).
“We admire your persistence as we digested the suggestions and consulted with our companions to revise our upcoming plans,” Studio Wildcard says. “As all the time, we’re very grateful to have such a passionate participant base, and we hear and perceive your issues. We’ve determined to make some modifications and supply extra info as to why we’re taking this method.
“Our intention behind this was to offer a bundle the place you primarily obtained two merchandise for the value of 1. In hindsight, not the perfect transfer. Our unhealthy; we acknowledge how combining Ark Survival Ascended with Ark 2 and requiring additional DLC upgrades wasn’t optimum, particularly because you wouldn’t have the ability to choose Ark 2 as no gameplay or content material could be out there but.”
Studio Wildcard additionally confirms that the servers for the unique Ark Survival Developed shall be closed on August 31, 2023. The studio claims that making the graphical and gameplay modifications vital for the remaster wouldn’t be attainable utilizing the unique sport’s code base, and that quite than iterate on the primary Survival Developed, the developer has chosen to start once more with the fully new Survival Ascended.
“You’re in all probability asking, why don’t we make these upgrades to the unique Ark Survival Developed?,” the studio writes. “Frankly, it might not be viable. Lots of the modifications we’re making in Ark Survival Ascended will contact quite a lot of elements of the sport; it’ll invalidate save information, some mods might not be useful, some issues could not play the identical approach as they did earlier than, and we didn’t wish to change that have for individuals who want it or are unable to improve.
“This additionally impacted our choice to sundown the ASE official community offline on August thirty first, shortly earlier than the ASA launch. Our reasoning behind the choice is that these servers are primarily based mostly on outdated expertise and require vital growth sources and time for our groups to function and keep.
“In some circumstances, the problems aren’t as simply solvable with out an general improve,” Studio Wildcard continues. “Moreover, we all know that these sources may very well be higher utilised on essentially new expertise to additional improve the general sport expertise for all gamers.”
Ark Survival Developed will nonetheless be playable offline and thru privately-owned, unofficial multiplayer servers, Studio Wildcard confirms. Ark Survival Ascended is predicted to launch in August, with Ark 2, which stars Quick and Livid frontman Vin Diesel, launching in 2024.
If you wish to hold the unique sport alive, try all the perfect Ark mods for 2023. You’ll additionally need to try all the perfect upcoming video games gracing your PC within the subsequent 12 months.