Ark: Survival Evolved, a popular dino-breeding survival game, is preparing for a new chapter as it shuts down its official servers. The closure, scheduled for midnight UTC on September 30th (1am BST October 1st), marks a significant milestone in the game’s evolution. This move is a precursor to the release of Ark: Survival Ascended, which will enter Steam Early Access in October.
Before the official servers go offline, a snapshot of all player saves uploaded to these servers will be taken. Players will have the opportunity to download these saves starting from Thursday, October 5th. This feature enables players to continue their gameplay experience by hosting the save offline or on a private dedicated server. It is important for players to note that their items, dinosaurs, and characters uploaded to the ARK cloud will not be included in the save. To ensure the preservation of valuable assets, players are advised to download anything they wish to keep from the cloud prior to the save on September 30th.
Ark: Survival Ascended aims to enhance the gameplay experience by porting the game to Unreal Engine 5. This transition involves cleaning up the game’s codebase and implementing new functionalities such as crossplay with console releases. The primary motive behind Survival Ascended is to generate revenue for the development of Ark 2, the highly anticipated sequel. According to Studio Wildcard, the development of a next-generation sequel without releasing paid expansion packs has proven to be challenging. Therefore, they must continue generating revenue while simultaneously working on Ark 2. Additionally, Survival Ascended strives to provide the community with a timeless classic-ARK experience.
Survival Ascended introduces several exciting additions to the game. Players can expect new creatures, structures, and a revamped island layout. Furthermore, graphical upgrades will take full advantage of Unreal Engine 5’s impressive water and physics effects. However, it is important to note that certain expansion content from Survival Evolved will be absent at the game’s launch. Similarly, crossplay will not be available immediately. Studio Wildcard acknowledges that the initial release of Survival Ascended may be buggy and in need of patches. By prioritizing fixes on the Steam platform, they aim to swiftly address any issues that arise. Once the game stabilizes, the developers will explore enabling full crossplay across various platforms.
As of now, no gameplay footage of Survival Ascended has been released. However, Studio Wildcard promises prospective players will have the opportunity to see the game through trailers and screenshots before making a purchase in October. The pricing scheme for Survival Ascended has been a source of controversy since its announcement. Initially, it was believed that the upgrade would be free for owners of Survival Evolved. However, Studio Wildcard revised their plans and announced in April that Ark 2 had been delayed until the end of 2024. To bridge this gap, they decided to sell Survival Ascended in a bundle with an Ark 2 pre-order. This bundle was priced at $50, which received significant backlash from the community. Responding to the criticism, Studio Wildcard removed the Ark 2 pre-order from the bundle and increased the price to $60, which included a pre-order for the expansion remasters. In July, the project faced another delay, resulting in the removal of one of the promised expansions at launch. As a result, the game will now cost $45, or $40 with a launch discount.
As an observer who has only dabbled briefly in Ark: Survival Evolved, the journey of Survival Ascended seems bewildering. The decision to charge players for an Early Access remake of a game they already purchased, all while acknowledging that the sequel may not appeal to many fans, is indeed a bold strategy. However, it is essential to acknowledge the game’s immense popularity, with over 30 million copies sold and numerous players engaging through Game Pass. The willingness of players to invest in the remake demonstrates their dedication and support for the franchise. Ultimately, whether players are excited to pay $40 or $45 to participate in the bug-finding process of a partial remake depends on their personal investment in the world of Ark.
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