In an announcement, Studio Wildcard has disclosed that the highly-anticipated ARK: Survival Evolved remaster, now officially titled “ARK: Survival Ascended,” will experience a delay in its release, pushing it back to October.
This remastered version of the popular open-world survival game boasts significant improvements with its utilization of the cutting-edge Unreal Engine 5.2, and notably, it will offer full cross-platform availability, allowing players on different systems to unite in their quest for survival.
Regrettably, delays have become somewhat customary in the world of ARK, as fans might recall the recent postponement of the eagerly-awaited sequel, ARK II, several months ago. While receiving news of another delay is disappointing, there is a silver lining for the players.
ARK: Survival Ascended will be released in Early Access at a reduced price, providing enthusiasts a little respite. Originally slated to debut at $44.99, the game will be available at a discounted launch price of $39.99, effectively offering a $5 discount. This price adjustment might help alleviate the frustration caused by the delay, at least to some extent.
However, the delay affects the release date of the remaster and disrupts the content release schedule initially planned for ARK: Survival Ascended. Initially, the game was set to include The Island map and the first major DLC [1], the Scorched Earth, upon release.
Nevertheless, due to the delay, The Island map will still be released alongside ARK: Survival Ascended, but the release of the Scorched Earth content will be different. Players can expect the Scorched Earth map to arrive in December, while Ragnarok and Aberration have been pushed to the first quarter of 2024. All the DLC and maps are scheduled to follow after that.
ARK: Survival Evolved was bundled with ARK II, resulting in an increased price for the game. Studio Wildcard revised its approach and decided to separate the two games. Some fans remain dissatisfied with the latest developments.
Many enthusiasts anticipated that the Unreal Engine 5 version will be free, considering the previous iterations’ pricing structure. Unfortunately, this is not the case, and the remastered version will be offered like an AAA game.
When comparing it to the original release of ARK: Survival Evolved, which was priced at $29.99, it is understandable why some fans feel frustrated. With two price reductions already implemented, from $60 to $50 and now from $50 to $40, the latest discount might be a silver lining.
It delays still remain uncertain, but fans can only hope they are granted a free update. Until then, players must exercise patience as they eagerly await the remastered experience in ARK: Survival Ascended.
