The highly anticipated dinosaur survival game, Ark 2, is back in the spotlight after sparking concerns about potential delays or cancellation. Developer Studio Wildcard has reignited excitement by announcing a new expansion for Ark: Survival Ascended, titled Ark: Lost Colony, which serves as a bridge to the upcoming sequel.
Ark: Lost Colony marks the first original expansion pack for the Ark 1 remake, Ark: Survival Ascended. The reveal trailer, crafted by the renowned anime studio Mappa, known for hits like Jujutsu Kaisen, Attack on Titan, and Chainsaw Man, features voiceover work by the acclaimed Michelle Yeoh, who reprises her role as Mei Yin from Ark: The Animated Series.
Studio Wildcard promises that Ark: Lost Colony will include numerous cinema-grade anime story sequences produced by Mappa. According to the official description:In this new frozen world, players follow in the footsteps of legendary Ark survivor Mei Yin, on a soul-searching quest deep into the chilling heart of darkness to find answers to long-buried secrets of Ark’s past.
Ark: Lost Colony will present survivors with thrilling new challenges as they become the hunted in a vast occupied city, and gain access to powerful new kinds of character abilities, unique gear, building systems, and phenomenally exotic tames.
Will Survivors be able to face down the demons lurking in Arat Prime, and connect Ark's past and future?
Studio Wildcard emphasized that Ark: Lost Colony "directly connects" the narratives of Ark’s Extinction and Genesis expansions, paving the way for the events in Ark 2.
Ark 2, powered by Unreal Engine 5, is the eagerly awaited sequel to the immensely popular Ark: Survival Evolved. Initially unveiled with a surprise appearance by Vin Diesel at The Game Awards 2020 and slated for a 2022 release, it faced multiple delays. Originally pushed to 2023, it was further postponed to late 2024 as an Xbox Series X and S console exclusive, available day-one on Game Pass, and also on PC via Steam and Windows.
Despite assurances from Studio Wildcard as late as December 2023 that Ark 2 was on track for a late 2024 release, the game did not meet this deadline, causing fan concern. The announcement of Ark: Lost Colony in March 2025 reassures fans that Ark 2 remains in development, though no updated release window was provided.More concrete details are available for Ark: Lost Colony. Pre-orders will begin in June 2025, granting immediate access to exclusive preview gameplay content. The full release is scheduled for November 2025, with Ark: Lost Colony priced at $29.99 across Xbox Series X and S, PlayStation 5, and PC platforms.
