If you’re a long-time Ark: Survival Evolved fan, you’ve probably been counting down the days until Ark 2 drops, right? The gritty dino survival sequel, featuring Vin Diesel as protagonist Santiago, has had fans hyped ever since its first dramatic trailer dropped a few years back. One of the most common questions floating around fan forums, Reddit threads, and social media right now is is ark 2 only on xbox, especially with all the conflicting info about exclusive deals and launch windows floating around. We’ve dug through official Studio Wildcard announcements, developer Q&As, and hands-on preview details from trusted gaming outlets to cut through the noise and give you all the facts you need to plan your playthrough.
Is Ark 2 Only on Xbox? Breaking Down the Timed Exclusive Deal
When people ask is ark 2 only on xbox, the short answer is no, but it will be limited to Xbox consoles for the first part of its release cycle. Back in 2022, Microsoft announced a partnership with Studio Wildcard for Ark 2’s console launch, making it a timed exclusive for the Xbox Series X/S. That means it won’t show up on PlayStation or any other console until the exclusivity window ends. Ark 2 will not be a permanent Xbox exclusive, so you don’t have to run out and buy a new console if you prefer playing on other systems.
Studio Wildcard has a long history of making their games available to as wide an audience as possible, so locking the sequel to one platform permanently makes no business sense for them. The exact length of the exclusivity window hasn’t been shared publicly, but based on similar third-party timed exclusive deals with Microsoft, most industry analysts expect it to last between 6 and 12 months from launch day.
What Platforms Will Get Ark 2 on Launch Day?
If you’re eager to play Ark 2 as soon as it comes out, you have a few different options for day one access, even if you don’t own an Xbox Series X/S. The full list of confirmed launch platforms is:
- Xbox Series X/S (both digital and physical disc editions, with performance and quality modes to choose from)
- PC (via Steam, Epic Games Store, and the Xbox PC App, with full cross-save support across all PC storefronts)
- Xbox Cloud Gaming (for Game Pass Ultimate subscribers, playable on mobile devices, browsers, and low-end PCs with no download required)
Day one Xbox Game Pass inclusion means you can play Ark 2 for no extra cost if you have an active subscription, either for console or PC. A lot of fans miss that PC players get day one access too, so you don’t need an Xbox console at all to join in on launch day. Xbox and PC players will also have full crossplay support, so you can team up with friends no matter which of those two platforms you use.
There are no plans for an Xbox One version of Ark 2, as the game is built exclusively for next-gen hardware to support its larger open world, better AI, and improved combat mechanics. If you only have an Xbox One, you can still play via Xbox Cloud Gaming if you have a Game Pass Ultimate subscription, as long as you have a stable internet connection.
When Will Ark 2 Come to Other Platforms?
If you’re a PlayStation, Switch, or handheld PC player, you will get access to Ark 2 eventually, you just have to wait a bit longer. Studio Wildcard hasn’t shared any specific release windows for non-launch platforms yet, but we can make some educated guesses based on their past release patterns. The first Ark: Survival Evolved launched first on PC early access, then came to Xbox One, then PlayStation 4, then Switch, over the course of about two years. Ark 2 will likely follow a similar, though faster, release schedule, since the core engine is already built for next-gen hardware.
No official release dates for PlayStation, Switch, or other platforms have been announced as of the latest developer update in late 2024. I’ve seen a lot of fake pre-order listings popping up on auction sites and third-party gaming retailers for PS5 and Switch copies of Ark 2, with random placeholder dates two or three years out. Don’t waste your money on these, because none of those release dates are confirmed, and you might end up paying extra for a pre-order that gets pushed back multiple times. The only way to know for sure when Ark 2 is coming to your platform is to follow Studio Wildcard’s official X (Twitter) account or join their official Discord server for announcements.
What to Do If You Don’t Own an Xbox or Gaming PC
If you don’t have an Xbox Series X/S or a decent gaming PC, you don’t have to miss out on all the Ark 2 fun while you wait for your platform’s release. First, if you’re even a little curious, you can sign up for a month of Xbox Game Pass Ultimate for just a dollar for new subscribers, and play via cloud gaming on almost any device you already own. All you need is a controller and a stable 10mbps internet connection, and you can play full next-gen Ark 2 on your phone, tablet, or old laptop.
If you don’t want to pay for a subscription, you can spend the wait time catching up on the original Ark’s story, since Ark 2 picks up immediately after the events of the Genesis Part 2 DLC. You can play through all the story maps, learn the lore of the Ark universe, and even practice your building and taming skills so you’re ready to dominate when Ark 2 drops on your platform.
Waiting for the PlayStation or Switch release also means you’ll get a more polished version of the game, as most launch day bugs, server issues, and performance problems will be patched out by the time it hits other platforms. Survival games almost always have rough launches, so waiting a few months can actually lead to a much better first playthrough experience, even if it feels frustrating to see other players posting clips online.
At the end of the day, the answer to is ark 2 only on xbox is a firm no, even if it won't be available on every platform right when it launches. The timed exclusive deal only applies to console releases, and PC players get full access on day one, with other consoles coming down the line once the exclusivity window closes. No matter what platform you prefer to play on, you’ll get your chance to explore the brutal post-apocalyptic world of Ark 2 eventually, whether that’s on launch day via Xbox, PC, or cloud gaming, or a year or so later on other consoles. Just make sure you only trust official announcements from Studio Wildcard for release info, and don’t fall for fake pre-order listings for platforms that haven’t been confirmed yet. If you do decide to play on launch day, don’t forget to team up with a few friends to make the grind of taming dinos and building bases a lot easier.