ARK: Survival Evolved News

ARK: Aquatica Release Date Announcement!

[h2]Welcome to Aquatica, the first expansion of ARK’s boundaries into the deep sea.[/h2][p][/p][p]Survivors, are you ready to take on an all-new challenge in the depths? Launching on July 15, ARK: Aquatica arrives as a special ARK: Survival Evolved DLC to celebrate the franchise’s 10th anniversary.[/p][previewyoutube][/previewyoutube][p]“Aquatica” is a sunken ARK lying within a vast underwater ecosystem. Survivors will be pushed to their limits as they face unprecedented challenges: crushing deep-sea pressure, powerful currents, drastic environmental shifts, and strange life forms lurking in the abyss.[/p][p][/p][p]Aquatica introduces five unique deep-sea biomes, born from ARK’s system malfunctions and elemental mutations. Together, they form a sprawling underwater labyrinth. These zones exist at varying depths, and what seems like the ocean floor may, in fact, be the surface of yet another deeper zone.[/p][p][/p][p]As you venture further into the abyss, everything changes with the depth: water pressure constantly reminds you of the ocean’s deadly embrace. With increasing pressure and diminishing light, each biome showcases distinct vegetation and aquatic life, while powerful underwater currents introduce entirely new challenges.[/p][p][/p][p]The further survivors descend into the ocean, the more its ultimate secrets and dangers will be revealed. The harsh environment has bred unimaginable creatures, and the extreme conditions like oxygen scarcity, crushing pressure, and buoyancy shifts make every step of exploration a true test of survival.[/p][p][/p][p]But worry not. 21 brand-new aquatic creatures await in this oceanic frontier. Some will test your strength, while many others may become your best companions. Stay tuned for more details about the creatures of ARK: Aquatica in upcoming updates.[/p][h2]
Wishlist Now and Be the First to Dive in on July 15:[/h2][p][dynamiclink][/dynamiclink][/p]

Ark Survival Ascended devs give three reasons why so many have stuck with ASE

Alongside the likes of Rust, Valheim, and Subnautica, Ark has established itself as one of the biggest players in the survival game space. Ark Survival Evolved is now ten years old, and still boasts healthy player counts to this day. The same can be said for its Unreal Engine 5 remaster, Ark Survival Ascended, which is busy enhancing ASE's vast library of content expansions and creating original ones in the process. An ambitious sequel, Ark 2, is also in the works. There's even a star-studded Ark animated series. While that all sounds remarkably positive, it's safe to say that there have been trying times too. In an exclusive interview with PCGamesN, two of the co-founders of Studio Wildcard - Jesse Rapczak and Jeremy Stieglitz - reflect on the last decade of Ark, the reasons why swathes of players are yet to shift over to Survival Ascended, and their favorite Ark expansion of the last ten years.

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New Cannonical ARK Expansion, Lost Colony, Now Available on ASA!

[p][/p][p][/p][p][dynamiclink][/dynamiclink][/p][p][/p][previewyoutube][/previewyoutube][p][/p][p]Step into ARK’s darkest chapter yet.[/p][p]Travel to Arat Prime—home of the ARKs and now a war-torn, frozen wasteland. Lost Colony is ASA’s first full expansion, featuring an epic cinematic storyline starring Michelle Yeoh as Mei Yin, brought to life by anime legends MAPPA.[/p][p][/p][p][/p][p]As you follow Mei Yin’s journey into the shadows of a broken city, you’ll uncover new powers, forge "Cursed" gear, and unlock an entirely new Lost Skill Tree—customize your Survivor like never before with unique paths focused on taming, exploring, or survival.[/p][p]But beware, the frozen wastes of Arat Prime are not devoid of intelligent life; on the contrary, the city has become a war-torn battleground between twisted Element-powered 'factions' seeking to undo what was accomplished at the end of ARK Extinction. Together with generations of heroes, you'll unite the past and the future of ARK![/p][p][/p][p][/p][p]Enhance your journey from day-one with the Lost Colony Expansion Pass! Immediately gain access to these exclusive bonuses:[/p]

[p]Fantastic Tame - Drakelings: Gain immediate access to the enchanting Drakelings, miniature dragons that serve as both a steadfast shoulder pet and a versatile tool. With four distinct seasonal variations, each offering unique passive benefits and the ability to be wielded for powerful attacks and tactical support for your allies!
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[p]Veilwyn: This captivating companion dynamically enhances your adventures with its aura-based buffs for defense, offense, and speed! Unleash its active abilities to revitalize yourself and your creatures, or to empower your next decisive strike. Prepare for a game-changer: this creature can evolve into one of two formidable forms with the official release of Lost Colony, each unlocking entirely new and potent abilities!
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[p]New Player Skill Tree: Master a new style of progression with exclusive early access to a new skill system. Earn points by achieving Milestones and invest them in skills across three distinct trees, allowing for deep specialization as a master of creatures, a seasoned explorer, or a resourceful survivor.
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[p]Template Hammer: Revolutionize and simplify your base building with this essential tool! The Structure Template system allows you to select a portion of your existing base, save it as a reusable template, and then easily replicate that structure in other locations. Say goodbye to tedious repetition and hello to rapid base expansion and consistent design!
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[p]TEK Bunker: The underground is now your battleground, as you can deploy the incredible new TEK Bunker to expand your base underneath the earth into a whole new playing-field.[/p]
- [p]We've hired Zarthan, the original creator of the TEK Drill Premium Mod, to work on the implementation and design of the TEK Bunker. Going forward the TEK Drill mod won't be receiving further updates, however anyone who has already purchased it will be able to use the TEK Bunker without needing to purchase the Lost Colony Expansion Pass.
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[p]DarkTek Cosmetics: Don this striking fusion of gothic elegance and sci-fi technology with a captivating bloodthirsty undertone, including armor component skins, sword skin, and Dark Drakeling skin.
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[p]ARK: Lost Colony (December 2025): Confront the demons of Arat Prime -- birthplace of the ARKs -- in this full expansion that will directly connect the storylines of ARK Extinction and Genesis, leading into the events of ARK 2.[/p]

[p] [/p][p][/p][p]The past and future of ARK collide here. Don't miss this incredible opportunity to venture into the frost-shrouded mysteries of Arat Prime's gothic city, equipped with a significant head-start through exclusive cosmetics, versatile tames, innovative building tools, and a whole new way to evolve your Survivor! Start bringing the past and future of ARK together now with the Lost Colony Expansion Pass.[/p][p]Available now on Steam and prepare for the Lost Colony.[/p][p][/p][p]Download all screenshots in full resolution[/p][p][/p]

Ark devs distance themselves from AI-generated trailer: 'we did not know that they were doing it'

The reaction to the clearly AI-generated trailer for Ark's upcoming underwater DLC Aquatica was divided, in the sense that some people hated it and some people really hated it. "This is disgusting and you should be ashamed of yourselves" is the first comment underneath the trailer on YouTube, and it comes from an Ark YouTuber with more than a million subscribers...
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Ark Survival Evolved devs "did not know" about AI-generated Aquatica trailer

As part of its celebrations around the tenth anniversary of the Ark franchise, Snail Games revealed that the game that started it all, Ark Survival Evolved, is getting a new expansion - Ark Aquatica. However, it's already got off on the wrong foot due to its reveal trailer containing more than a hefty dose of AI-generate footage. Now, a Snail Games developer confirms that those actually creating the expansion "did not know" about the AI trailer, and calms fears that Aquatica itself may feature AI-generated content.

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