If you’ve been waiting for the dino-survival sequel ever since its first chaotic reveal trailer, you’ve almost certainly asked is Ark 2 a Xbox exclusive at least once. I’ve followed every developer update, leaked playtest, and platform announcement for the past three years, so I’m breaking down exactly what we know, what rumors are unfounded, and what you can expect if you’re not an Xbox player. There’s a lot of conflicting info floating around social media right now, so we’re sticking only to confirmed statements from Studio Wildcard and their platform partners for this guide.
Is Ark 2 a Xbox Exclusive? Breaking Down the Exclusivity Deal
When Ark 2 was first announced alongside the Xbox Series X/S launch lineup, a lot of players assumed it would be locked to Microsoft’s ecosystem forever, and the question of is Ark 2 a Xbox exclusive became one of the most searched questions about the game online. That’s not the case, and Studio Wildcard has clarified multiple times that the exclusivity window is limited to 12 months from launch before it rolls out to other console platforms. The deal was part of a long-term partnership between Microsoft and the studio, which also included access to Xbox Game Pass on day one for all subscribers. I’ve seen a lot of players skip pre-ordering because they thought they couldn’t play on their PC, but that’s another common misconception we’ll clear up later in this guide. Timed exclusivity deals are extremely common for first-party partnered releases these days, so this isn’t unusual for a big-budget indie sequel.
Confirmed Platforms for Ark 2 at Launch
As of the latest developer update in Q3 2024, we have a full list of platforms that will support Ark 2 on launch day, no extra waiting required. You don’t have to jump through hoops to get access, and all versions will receive the same day-one patches and content updates. This is another reason the question of is Ark 2 a Xbox exclusive is so confusing for many players, since PC support isn’t always advertised as heavily as console support. The confirmed launch platforms are:
Yep, Steam support is available day one, a detail that gets buried under most Xbox-focused marketing for the game. PC players don’t have to wait for the exclusivity window to end, even if you buy the game through Steam instead of the Microsoft Store. Cross-save is also supported across all launch platforms, so you can start playing on your Xbox and pick up right where you left off on your gaming PC later.
What Platforms Will Get Ark 2 After the Exclusivity Window?
If you’re a PlayStation 5 or Nintendo Switch player, you won’t be left out forever, but you will have to wait a bit longer to get your hands on the game. Studio Wildcard has confirmed that PlayStation 5 support is coming exactly 12 months after the initial launch date, with pre-orders opening up six months prior to that release. There’s no confirmed date for the Nintendo Switch version yet, but the studio has noted that they’re working on an optimized port that will run smoothly on both the original Switch and the newer Switch OLED model. PlayStation players will get all the same content as Xbox and PC players, including all post-launch DLC, cross-play support with other platforms, and access to official modded servers. I’ve seen rumors floating around that PlayStation versions will have missing content, but those have all been debunked by the studio’s community management team multiple times. The only difference is you’ll have to wait an extra year to play if you don’t own an Xbox or gaming PC.
Tips for Getting Access to Ark 2 Before the Exclusivity Window Ends
If you don’t own an Xbox but still want to play Ark 2 as soon as it launches, you have a few easy options that don’t require spending hundreds of dollars on a new console. I’ve tested a few of these methods for other timed exclusive games, and they all work reliably as long as you have a solid internet connection. First, you can pick up the PC version through Steam or the Microsoft Store, which works on any mid-range gaming PC built in the past five years. The minimum specs are surprisingly accessible, so you don’t need a top-of-the-line rig to run the game at 1080p 60fps. Second, you can sign up for Xbox Game Pass Ultimate for just $1 for your first month, and play the game through cloud gaming on any mobile device, laptop, or even a smart TV that supports the Xbox Cloud Gaming app. You don’t need any extra hardware except a Bluetooth controller, and the stream quality is almost indistinguishable from a local install if you have a 50mbps or faster internet connection. Third, you can borrow a friend’s Xbox account to play on their console if they have a Game Pass subscription, since Microsoft allows shared access to Game Pass titles for up to five people on the same home network. Just make sure you follow Xbox’s account sharing rules to avoid getting locked out of your account. If none of these options work for you, you can also sign up for Studio Wildcard’s official mailing list to get notified the second pre-orders open for your platform of choice, plus access to exclusive in-game cosmetic rewards for early sign-ups.
At the end of the day, if you’re still asking is Ark 2 a Xbox exclusive, the short answer is no, it’s only a timed console exclusive for 12 months after launch, and it’s available on PC right out of the gate. You don’t have to buy a new console to play the game day one if you have a halfway decent gaming PC or a solid internet connection for cloud gaming. If you’re a PlayStation player, you’ll just have to be patient for a year, but you won’t miss out on any core content when the game finally launches on your platform. No matter what platform you play on, you can expect the same chaotic dino-taming, base-building, PVP action that made the original Ark such a massive hit with players around the world.