If you’re a long-time Ark: Survival Evolved fan who plays primarily on Sony consoles, you’ve almost certainly asked is ark 2 going to be on playstation at least once while waiting for the sequel’s launch. The original Ark was a massive hit across PlayStation 4 and 5, with millions of players building bases, taming dinosaurs, and fighting off rivals on Sony’s platforms for nearly a decade. It only makes sense that players would want to know if they can carry over their love for the franchise to the next entry without having to buy a new console or PC. We’ve pulled together every confirmed detail, developer comment, and official announcement to answer this question clearly, plus break down what that means for your future Ark 2 playtime.
Is Ark 2 Going to be on Playstation? Confirmed Platform Plans
The short, official answer is yes, Ark 2 will be released on PlayStation 5, but not right at the initial launch. Studio Wildcard entered a timed exclusivity partnership with Xbox for Ark 2, meaning the game will first launch on Xbox Series X/S and PC via Game Pass, with a 12-month exclusivity window before it comes to other platforms. That includes PlayStation 5, as confirmed by the studio in multiple public updates over the past two years.
PlayStation 5 is the only Sony console getting Ark 2, and there are no plans for a PlayStation 4 version of the game. The team built Ark 2 exclusively for next-gen hardware using Unreal Engine 5, with dynamic open world loading, advanced dinosaur AI, and high-fidelity graphics that can’t run properly on last-gen console hardware. If you’re still playing on a PS4, you’ll need to upgrade to a PS5 if you want to play Ark 2 when it launches for Sony platforms.
The 12-month exclusivity window starts the day Ark 2 launches on Xbox and PC. The initial launch date is still unconfirmed as of now, but once it’s announced, you can mark your calendar for roughly a year later for the PlayStation 5 release. The studio has not announced any delays to the PlayStation launch timeline, so you don’t have to worry about the window being extended beyond the initial 12 months.
What PlayStation Players Can Expect From Ark 2
You don’t have to worry about missing out on content just because you’re playing on PlayStation. The studio has confirmed that the PlayStation 5 version of Ark 2 will have full feature parity with the Xbox and PC versions, with no cut content or missing mechanics. All core gameplay, story content, dinosaur taming systems, and base building features will be identical across all platforms.
Cross-play support will be available across all platforms once the PlayStation version launches, so you can play with friends who own the game on Xbox or PC if you want. You’ll also be able to join public servers with players from other platforms, or stick to PlayStation-only servers if you prefer to play with other Sony console users. Cross-progression is still being worked on, but the studio has hinted that you’ll be able to carry over your progress between platforms if you own the game on multiple systems.
There may be a small number of PlayStation-exclusive cosmetic items for Ark 2, similar to the PS-themed character and dinosaur skins that were released for the original Ark. These items are purely cosmetic and won’t give you any gameplay advantage over players on other platforms, so you don’t have to worry about missing out on power to get them. The PS5 version will also take full advantage of the console’s SSD, with drastically reduced load times compared to the original Ark’s long loading screens on PS4.
Important Considerations for PlayStation Players Waiting For Ark 2
Waiting a year after the initial launch can be frustrating, but there are a few key points to keep in mind that make the wait much more manageable. We’ve broken down the most important things to remember as you wait for the PlayStation launch:
A lot of players worry that the PlayStation version will be buggier or less supported than the initial launch versions, but that’s actually not the case. The 12 month gap means Studio Wildcard will have time to fix most of the launch bugs, balance gameplay mechanics, and add quality of life updates that were missing at the initial release. That means you’ll get a more stable, enjoyable experience right out of the box than players who jumped in on day one on other platforms.
How to Prepare For Ark 2 on PlayStation Now
There are plenty of things you can do right now to get ready for Ark 2’s launch on PS5, even if the release date is still a while away. If you never played the original Ark, you can pick up a copy for PS5 now to get familiar with the core mechanics, like taming dinosaurs, building bases, and navigating the harsh open world. It’s not exactly the same as Ark 2, but it will give you a solid foundation so you don’t feel completely lost when the sequel launches.
Make sure you have enough storage space on your PS5 for the game, which is expected to be at least 100GB, plus extra for updates and DLC down the line. If your PS5 storage is almost full, you can invest in an external SSD that’s compatible with the console to add extra space for Ark 2 and other new releases.
You can also join PlayStation-specific Ark 2 communities on Reddit or Discord to connect with other players who are waiting for the launch, so you can find tribe members before the game even comes out. Planning your tribe and playstyle ahead of time will make the first few weeks of launch much smoother, and you’ll have a group of people to play with right away. If you have saves from the original Ark on your PS5, don’t delete them just yet, as Studio Wildcard has hinted that there might be exclusive rewards for players who have existing Ark saves on the same platform when Ark 2 launches.
At the end of the day, you don’t have to stress about whether you’ll be able to play the next entry in your favorite survival franchise on your console of choice. We’ve confirmed that is ark 2 going to be on playstation has a clear, positive answer, with a planned launch on PS5 12 months after the initial Xbox and PC release. The wait might feel long right now, but you’ll get a more polished version of the game, full cross-play support, and all the same core content as players on other platforms. You can use the wait time to brush up on your survival skills, connect with other PlayStation players, and get your console ready for one of the most anticipated survival game launches of the decade.