ARK: Survival Ascended News

Community Crunch 394: Custom Cosmetic System, Bonus Rates, and More!

Remember the upcoming Simple Game Framework and Custom Cosmetic system we unveiled last week for the Development Kit? Well, this week we're diving deep into how you will be able to unleash your inner architect and fashionista to transform your ARK experience!

The new "Custom Cosmetic" system allows players to dynamically apply player-generated costumes to players and dinos, end-user-created skins to armors and weapons, and end-user-created skins to all the game's structures. These can have endless client-side functionality, including network messaging and limited persistent replicated data storage. For structures, this effectively enables infinite visual variety and functional enhancement through player-created cosmetics, which do not require any server-updating or loading onto the server.

Phase 1, launching Feb 1, will require clients to manually install such Custom Cosmetic Mods in order to see and use them on Official Servers.
Phase 2, launching April 1, will automatically download them in the background when encountered during gameplay. Note: Clients can disable usage of these globally or per-Mod-ID. Servers can disable globally or use a whitelist (we suggest servers use our official whitelist, which will be the default). The cosmetics allowed on official servers will be dynamically-white-listed on a daily basis by Overwolf and Studio Wildcard to avoid any exploity or issue-causing cosmetics.

Here are some initial functional Structure Custom Cosmetics that we'll be launching next week, as simple examples to show Modders some things that can easily be done in addition to visual swaps:

Can be placed over any normal wall & turns it into an adjustable glass panel (can hide borders to create larger or different-sized panes & can make it opaque, transparent, or one-way)

Can be placed over the normal or the omnidirectional lamppost. Adds the ability to set a primary & secondary color (White, Red, Green, Blue, or the paint color of the light), a primary & secondary intensity (off, low, medium, high) & a blink speed (fast, slow). Fast blinking creates a strobe effect & slow blinking blinks every second. The slow blinking is synchronized to the network time so that turning on multiple lamps will keep them all blinking in sync. (network time is overkill for this, but we wanted to give modders an example that’s useful for longer periods as well)

Two players can play a game of tic tac toe on the wooden table. Keeps a running total game wins & identifies players by their unique ID string, so should be able to keep playing across sessions (no time out, so can each make a move when back at base... the game can be reset at any time, though).

[previewyoutube][/previewyoutube]

Download & play new custom content created by players, including new maps, creatures, items, and game modes, through a dedicated new Mod-bowser directly within the game. Enjoy an endless stream of new ARK content as the creativity and talent of the community is fully unleashed for the first time across gaming platforms and stay tuned as we spotlight more Cross-Platform Mods each week!

This video features:

Eocarcharia by Tristans_Modding
Sivatherium by Wildwaghorn
Randi’s Cooking and Kitchen Mod by RandiBeers
Sgt. Duckie Chibi by CyrusCreates
Forglar by SnowyTrain
ARK Football by Matheusrp11
Primitive Stations [CROSSPLAY] by Frenchie
GoT Additions by Elkay

Are you interested in modding for ARK? Here's your chance to dive in! Our seasoned modding expert, Garuga123, will guide you through the creative process of making a new character - from animations to physics. This three part series will start on Saturday, February 3rd, at 10:00 AM to 12:00 PM Pacific and continue every other week at the same time.

Bring your questions, enthusiasm, and a thirst for knowledge as we embark on this modding journey together. Don't miss out on the opportunity to learn from one of our most popular modding members.

Session 1

February 3rd, 10 AM - 12PM Pacific
Visual elements - starting a new character, setting up the animations, mesh, physics, etc.

Session 2

February 17th, 10 AM - 12 PM Pacific
Blueprinting - setting up the actual character BPs

Session 3

March 2nd, 10 AM - 12 PM Pacific
Going Live - getting the mod prepped, testing issues, uploading, etc.

Watch on Garuga or on SurvivetheArk's Twitch channels!

This weekend, the Official Network will be receiving bonus rates! It will be active until Monday, January 29h.

PVP/PVE: 1.5x Harvesting, Taming, and Experience + 1.5x Breeding
Small Tribes: 4x Harvesting, Taming, and Experience + 3.5x Breeding
ARKpocalypse: 4.5x Harvesting, Taming and Experience + 4.5x Breeding

Fan Art Gallery | Screenshot Gallery | Artist Feedback Form

Help us discover your talent by tagging your art with #ARKPhotoMode or #ARKFanart on social media!

Creator: Veno feat. Raasclark
Veno and Raasclark's editors have a minute to draw Ark Creatures from memory. Then Veno and Raasclark have to guess (by taming) what creature it is!
[previewyoutube][/previewyoutube]

Creator: MissVadams
A beginners guide to ARK: Survival Ascended; how to tame your very first dino!
[previewyoutube][/previewyoutube]

Fan art by rainichor

Light Pets by @ewo_zaur

ARK Mosasaurus by @DW_ARK

Sky by @WolfTek7

An ill-tempered stegosaur by @Fern_paleo1

Mía vs giga by @StudiosGoji

Lava Lizard by BumpySlays22

Minas Tirith, capital of Gondor (no mods) by I BARDEN I

One King To Rule Them All by ar0y2810

The sea is so wide, so big, so scary by @sulumee55

The Challenger by @SwordswiperYt

Photo Mode by cosmicman5455

Enjoy your weekend!
Studio Wildcard

Twitter: twitter.com/survivetheark

Discord: discord.com/invite/playark

Reddit: reddit.com/r/playark

Instagram: instagram.com/survivetheark

Twitch: twitch.tv/survivetheark

Steam: steamcommunity.com/app/346110

Youtube: youtube.com/survivetheark

Facebook: facebook.com/survivetheark

Threads: threads.net/@survivetheark

Official Wiki: ark.wiki.gg

Community Crunch 393: Simple Game Framework, Oasisaur Concept, and More!

Hey survivors, we’re back with a few updates and a few new surprises too 😉! Let’s Raptor pounce right into our plans for Jan 31st that will ignite your creativity and fuel your adventures:

We’re excited to announce a date for the upgraded ARK Development Kit with an eye-catching side-scroller mod example. On Jan 31st, we’ll be releasing an update to the development kit that provides more ways to bend ARK to your imagination, with features that were previously locked away now at your fingertips!

[previewyoutube][/previewyoutube]
Here's a work-in-progress sneak peek of our upcoming two-player side-scroller example mod. The simple game framework uses no gameplay code from ARK: Survival Ascended, and has been stripped down to the foundational Unreal classes, so anything you could do in Unreal Engine 5. You'll have the ability to create your own unique games, and they could be released on ARK, changing as much or as little as you'd like!

We're introducing an upgraded cosmetics system, letting players forge their own visual masterpieces for structures, costumes, and more. Best of all, they can be used on any server without the need for the servers to download a mod. It can all happen under the hood of your client, including on Official Servers! So decorate your bases and suit up how you'd like! In a later update, these custom visuals will automatically download in the background while you explore, so get ready to discover fresh surprises on structures, items, and characters every time you venture around the ARK!

Spice things up with our brand-new premium mod initiative, launching on January 31st! These high-quality mods, moderated by CurseForge and Wildcard, look to add a whole new layer of excitement to your ARK experience.

We had to iron out a few kinks in the server transfer system and move the date back to Jan 31st. Once enabled, players will be able to download items and creatures onto the map without restriction.

We will also launch some fresh non-transfer Official PvP servers at this time and we’ll share more info on those prior.

Download in full resolution

The Oasisaur, a gentle giant, stands as a living sanctuary, offering protection and sustenance to all creatures in its vicinity. With its unique ability to create a safe haven, it shields players from environmental threats and hostile creatures, though it offers little defense against other players. This majestic creature offers a beacon of tranquility on this scorching earth.

Cliffan’s Wardrobe by Cliffan
Big Al’s Meraxes by BigAl_Swagbob
DinoDepot by DelilahEve
Wall’n’Floor Decor by Glitch_DK
Klinger Additional Structures by KlingerMartins

Are you interested in modding for ARK? Here's your chance to dive in! Our seasoned modding expert, Garuga123, will be going live with Overwolf on Twitch to guide you through the creative process.

Bring your questions, enthusiasm, and a thirst for knowledge as we embark on this modding journey together. Don't miss out on the opportunity to learn from one of our most popular modding members.

Mark your calendar for Saturday, January 27, at 10:00 AM Pacific, and let's build something amazing!

Watch on Overwolf or on SurvivetheArk!

ARK is now on wiki.gg Redirect! Install wiki.gg redirector to find the best resources curated by the community!

What is wiki.gg Redirect?
wiki.gg Redirect is a browser extension that automatically redirects you from wikis that are abandoned from Fandom to wiki.gg. It will also adjust Google's search results to try and populate the wiki instead of Fandom's SEO.

Fan Art Gallery | Screenshot Gallery | Artist Feedback Form

Help us discover your talent by tagging your art with #ARKPhotoMode or #ARKFanart on social media!

Creator: LolsAtLance
Discover an aquatic marvel in ARK: Survival Ascended with LolsAtLance's Ocean Base Resort, elegantly perched on stilts amid a vibrant coral reef.
[previewyoutube][/previewyoutube]

Creator: Jimbob
Jimbob has taken his first steps toward conquering the Abyss!
[previewyoutube][/previewyoutube]

Another Ravager variant by @N4STYR4BBiT

Slow and Steady by BettleKettle

Fan Art by runawaymac

Sugar Kitty by Mushirra

Wolf King and Penguin Buddy by Wheatart

Megalania by 20CMills02

Nezuyu's Zayeli by Vahilor

Finished building my lighthouse by .isibeal

Even the little critters are looking sharp by nemesisstar

Photo Mode by shadowqauntlet

Photo Mode by @LeeCoxall

Welcome to the world, little one by @nezulosaurus

Community Crunch 392: Development Update, Cross-Platform Mod Spotlight, and More

Hey survivors! We're here with a quick update on some of the top priorities keeping us busy in the trenches throughout early 2024. As always, a smooth and enjoyable ARK experience is our main goal, and we're laser-focused on tackling three key areas:

1. Server Performance: We hear you loud and clear on server performance. We're relentlessly optimizing the server infrastructure to ensure silky-smooth gameplay. Expect continued improvements throughout January, and know that we're constantly monitoring and tweaking to make the Official Network stable.

2. Exploits and Hacks: No one enjoys being disrupted by unfair play. We're actively battling exploits and hacks with a vengeance, deploying new detection and prevention measures at a frequent and regular cadence. We'll keep you posted on our progress, and remember, report any violations to the Code of Conduct to our enforcement team here. Your reports are invaluable in keeping ARK a fair and enjoyable experience for all.

3. Network Movement: Improving network movement for both characters and dinos is a top priority. Expect continued improvement throughout the month of January and going forward.

Full server transfers on official servers across all platforms will be enabled on the 24th January. Once enabled, players will be able to download items and creatures onto the map without restriction.

We will also launch some fresh non-transfer Official PvP servers at this time and we’ll share more info on those prior.

We're thrilled to announce that a SOTF dev kit update will be released by mid next week. Craft custom arenas, create devious new battle-royale style game modes, and sculpt the ultimate battlegrounds where your fellow ARK survivors will fight to see who will be the ultimate survivor! Gather your coding cohorts, fire up your imaginations and show the community what you can do!

By the end of this month, we're unleashing a colossal-sized dev kit update that'll put the power of unbridled game creation directly in your hands. Imagine it: crafting not just ARK mods, but entire custom Unreal Engine games to be made available inside ASA.

Want to build a Mario-esque rampage through Crystal Isles? Go for it! Dream of a PvP arena where Tek Rexes joust against Spinos? Buckle up. This dev kit update will come with a completely playable Mario-inspired platformer example to help show you the ropes, but your imagination is the true architect. Design custom main menus, host and browse your own multiplayer game sessions from within the mod, and even create a mod that progresses (seamless travel) from one level to the next – the sandbox is officially yours to play in. Get ready to unleash your inner game dev, push the limits of ARK's potential, and build experiences that will leave the community speechless. We can't wait to see what you cook up!

Mark your calendars for the end of February! The Center and Gigantoraptor make a grand debut! The Center is a sprawling, diverse map that will redefine your ARK experience. Lush jungles teem with hidden secrets, treacherous ice peaks pierce the sky, and crystalline caverns beckon with untold treasures.

Towering above the horizon comes the Gigantoraptor, a feathered behemoth unlike anything ever seen. Whether you choose to tame this gentle giant or respect its territorial might, the Gigantoraptor's arrival will forever alter the delicate balance of power on The Center.

The searing sands of Scorched Earth will arrive on April 1st, bringing along a taste of sun-baked survival unlike any you've known. Brace yourselves for an unforgiving desert where every oasis is a hard-won prize and every sandstorm a test of your grit. Don your rugged frontier leather chaps, customize your base with western-themed structures, and tame the ultimate desert steed: the Fasolasuchus.

But hold on, pardners’ 🤠, that's not all! April 1st also sees the debut of the Frontier Adventure Pack, a DLC treasure trove of desert-themed goodies that'll make you the envy of any wasteland wanderer. And did we mention trains!? Build train tracks that crisscross the scorching landscape, choo-choo your way past sandworms, and create your own Wild West-style dino raids.

Strap yourselves in, because Winter Wonderland was just the first snowflake in a blizzard of freshly-designed ARK events coming your way in 2024! Whether it's Love Evolved or Eggcellent Adventures, we’re planning plenty of new event content!

ARK Survival Ascended will be going live on PlayStation in Japan later in January! We’ll follow up with the details in a future Community Crunch.

That’s about it for the time being. Keep your feedback, bug reports, player reports and suggestions coming; they’re invaluable to us!

Atlas creatures: Fish by Myrmecoleon
Draconis Glaucus by Myrmecoleon
Marnii Mods: Hairstyles by Marnii
Any Colour Sets by Eclipse
Moros Tylosaurus by Moronada

Download in full resolution

During Extra Life 2023, we hosted a draw along with Clayton and Svala, where chat votes determined the prompts. Clayton's final drawing had to be a unique creature, blending an axolotl head, unicorn horn, ringed-lemur tail, armadillo body, bat wings, T-rex limbs, bioluminescence, and a habitat on Aberration. This collaboration showcased the incredible power of collective creativity in our community. Here is Clayton's final product!

This weekend, the Official Network will be receiving bonus rates! It will be active until Tuesday, January 16th.

PVP/PVE: 1.5x Harvesting, Taming, and Experience + 1.5x Breeding
Small Tribes: 4x Harvesting, Taming, and Experience + 3.5x Breeding
ARKpocalypse: 4.5x Harvesting, Taming and Experience + 4.5x Breeding

Fan Art Gallery | Screenshot Gallery | Artist Feedback Form

Help us discover your talent by tagging your art with #ARKPhotoMode or #ARKFanart on social media!

Creator: MrMEOLA
MrMEOLA goes on an adventure to find a new base location... and nothing goes according to plan!
[previewyoutube][/previewyoutube]

Creator: Etholdir
Watch these mountain ruins come back to life in the deft hands of Etholdir!
[previewyoutube][/previewyoutube]

Raptor Claus by @Isopod22

Merry Christmas everyone by @TekARK_01

glorp. by @ewo_zaur

Are wyverns included in dragons? by @k3zk_627

This year is the year of the dragon! by @feru00

LEGO therizinosaurus by heynoquest

Happy New Year by amitaya82

Spreading holiday cheer. by @MamaMullet88

Happy Holidays from Infinite Wrld Order! by @II_Outaker_II

Soooo... I've been busy... by @ArxmisGames

"It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas" by @KurushiG

𝙼𝚎𝚛𝚛𝚢 𝙲𝚑𝚛𝚒𝚜𝚝𝚖𝚊𝚜 by @Muni_ark

Community Crunch 391: Seasons Greetings and Happy Holidays!

From the launch of ARK Survival Evolved back in 2015 to the reimagined world of ARK Survival Ascended in 2023, it has always been your passion as a community that has fuels our ambition and ignites our hearts. Your feedback has guided our taming hand, your creativity has inspired our wildest designs, and your love of ARK has been the foundational bedrock upon which we've built a community brimming with prehistoric wonder.

Now that we’ve taken these first steps into the brave new future for ARK, we look to the next phase of your adventures. While we take a brief respite to sharpen our tools and replenish our dino-sized thirst for innovation, a treasure-trove of fresh content awaits your return. The new year promises your favorite maps reborn, beloved creatures old and new reimagined, and gameplay updates & additions that will make even the most seasoned explorer feel like a naked beach-Bob once more.

May your feasts be bountiful, your tames loyal, and your raids victorious this holiday season. May the warmth of the Winter Wonderland ignite joy in your hearts, and the spirit of survival burn bright into the New Year for each and every one of you.

From the bottom of our Wildcard hearts, Happy Holidays, Survivors!

With love and dino-sized hugs,

The Studio Wildcard Team

Download in full resolution

Deck the halls with boughs of holly! Winter Wonderland will be making a triumphant return with new presents and goodies for ARK survivors. The epic winter-themed holiday event is live until January 7, 2024 on Official Servers.

RaptorClaus will be sailing across the star-filled night sky in his sleigh, dropping off presents filled with high-end loot as well as Mistletoe, and Coal for those naughty Survivors. You'll be able to catch RaptorClaus flying across the skies at midnight (game time) on all maps.

For full details, check out this post!

Winter Wonderland by Studio Wildcard
Survival of the Fittest by Studio Wildcard (Core and The Island)
Annunaki Ascended by __Maffle__
Vidark - Healing Station by Vidark_WYRD
Asharavel Bestiary [Fantasy Creatures] by Cliffan_
Human NPCs ASA by ZoneKi11er

ARK: Survival of the Fittest is now live for crossplay on PC, Xbox and PlayStation!

Re-evolved from the ground up with redesigned mechanics! ARK: The Survival of the Fittest pits up to 60 combatants against each other in a fast-paced, action-packed struggle for survival, where players are ultimately pushed into an epic final showdown leading their Dinosaur Armies into battle.

If you're unfamiliar with SOTF check out our older trailer from ASE to get an idea of the game mode. The trailer may contain outdated features but it should give you an idea of what the game mode is all about!

[previewyoutube][/previewyoutube]

ARKpocalypse servers have been wiped today!

What are ARKpocalypse?

ARKpocalypse are monthly-wipe servers with higher than usual rates.

Next wipe: January 19th 2024

You can join them by searching in the server browser! Happy Surviving!

Fan Art Gallery | Screenshot Gallery | Artist Feedback Form

Help us discover your talent by tagging your art with #ARKPhotoMode or #ARKFanart on social media!

Creator: KingDaddyDMAC
KingDaddyDMAC learns how to tame the flames of an ultimate Wyvern's inferno. He also tames and breeds Doedicurus!
[previewyoutube][/previewyoutube]

Creator: Old Gamerz Never Die
Follow this step by step guide to creating this compact PVE mobile base that has a nasty surprise for any of those murder whales that come your way! This build uses no mods, official structure collision and build limits.
[previewyoutube][/previewyoutube]

You don’t have to be alone anymore by @TekARK_01

I’ll give my owner a present too ♪ by @rianeko_mabi

Rockwell in a Krampus costume by @StudiosGoji

cake eating cake by @falco_luna

RaptorClaus is coming! by @k_ark_C

TheCenter by BonnieFoxxx

Restauration by Nalak-Bel

I'll miss you (but only a little) by @EgoSilentium

Can You Escape? by @AngelicVix3n

They’re calling for help… by @Cthulh0opsVP

My water pen home by dinodaprince

Make sure to tell the kids some of your stories of survival! by @GPxGP

Winter Wonderland is Live!

Download in full resolution

Deck the halls with boughs of holly! Winter Wonderland will be making a triumphant return with new presents and goodies for ARK survivors. The epic winter-themed holiday event begins on December 21, 2023 will be live until January 7, 2024 on Official Servers.

RaptorClaus will be sailing across the star-filled night sky in his sleigh, dropping off presents filled with high-end loot as well as Mistletoe, and Coal for those naughty Survivors. You'll be able to catch RaptorClaus flying across the skies at midnight (game time) on all maps.

December 21st to January 7th

PVP/PVE: 1.5x Harvesting, Taming, and Experience + 1.5x Breeding
Small Tribes: 4x Harvesting, Taming, and Experience + 3.5x Breeding
ARKpocalypse: 4.5x Harvesting, Taming and Experience + 4.5x Breeding

RaptorClaus
Santa's Big Helper Yet - Drops Coal and Mistletoe. *NEW*
Abominable Snowman - Drops Coal and Mistletoe. *NEW*
Pegomastax Grouch- Drops Coal and Mistletoe. Steals Gift Boxes in return for a special reward. *NEW*
Wild Rideable Reindeer - Drops Coal and Mistletoe. Can be fed Rockarrot and ridden for additional drop amounts. *NEW*

*Event-specific recipes are now on the Smithy instead of the Cooking Pot

RaptorClauss *NEW*
Hyaenadeer *NEW*

Caroling Emote
Happy Clap Emote
Nutcracker Dance Emote
Shiver Emote *NEW*
Snow Angel Emote *NEW*

Blue-Ball Winter Beanie Skin
Candy Cane Club Skin
Christmas Bola Skin
Dino Ornament Swimsuit Skins
Felt Reindeer Antlers Skin
Gray-Ball Winter Beanie Skin
Green-Ball Winter Beanie Skin
HLN-A Winter Beanie Skin
Jerboa Wreath Swimsuit Skins
Megaloceros Reindeer Costume
Noglin Regift Winter Beanie Skin
Noglin Swimsuit Skins
Nutcracker Slingshot Skin
urple-Ball Winter Beanie Skin
Purple-Ball Winter Beanie Skin (Winter Wonderland 5)
Raptor Sleighing Winter Beanie Skin
Red-Ball Winter Beanie Skin
Santa Costume Skin
Santa Hat Skin
Snowy Winter Beanie Skin
Ugly Carno Sweater Skin
Ugly Chibi Sweater Skin
Ugly Bronto Sweater Skin
Ugly Bulbdog Sweater Skin
Ugly Caroling Sweater Skin
Ugly Noglin Regift Sweater Skin
Ugly Raptor Claws Sweater Skin
Ugly Rockwell Sweater Skin
Ugly T-Rex Sweater Skin
Yeti Swimsuit Skins
Full-body Krampus Costume Player Character Skin/Cosmetic *NEW*
Santa’s Workshop Smithy Structure Skin *NEW*
Festive Forge Structure Skin *NEW*

Coal
Festive Dino Candy
Gift Box
Holiday Lights
Holiday Stocking
Holiday Tree
Mistletoe
Snowman
Wreath

Lavender
Dino Light Purple
Dino Light Blue
DragonGreen0
ActualBlack
Cyan
DeepPink
Dino Dark Purple
Mint
Jade
PineGreen
SpruceGreen
DarkMagenta
Glacial
PowderBlue
Teal
DarkViolet
Red
Green
Light Grey
Light Red
Dark Red
Dino Light Red
Dino Light Green
Dino Medium Green
Dino Albino
NearWhite
Yellow

From the Main Menu, select the mod tab.
Search for Winter Wonderland in the ARK Mod list and Install it.
After it's installed, go back to your game setup screen and select 'Mod Settings'
You will see Winter Wonderland and any other mods you've downloaded in 'Available Mods'
Select Winter Wonderland and activate it.

If you would like to enable Winter Wonderland on your private servers, please the mod ID to your server command-line launch arguments (-mods=modID). No other changes should be necessary to activate the event. We'll share the mod ID in the patch notes when the event goes live.