It’s hard to believe it’s been almost a decade since Ark: Survival Evolved first launched, letting players loose on a prehistoric planet full of ferocious dinos, dangerous weather, and rival tribes fighting for control of limited resources. Millions of players have sunk hundreds of hours into taming their perfect T-Rex, building impenetrable bases, and exploring hidden biomes full of rare loot, so it’s no surprise everyone is asking will there be an Ark Survival Evolved 2. As a long-time fan who once lost an entire 3-week old base to a random alpha raptor attack while I was logged off, I’ve been following every tiny update about the sequel just as closely as the rest of the community.
Confirmed Information About Ark Survival Evolved 2
First off, the short answer to the question is yes, the sequel is fully in active development from original studio Studio Wildcard, and it’s been in the works for several years now. It was first announced at The Game Awards a few years back, with a surprise reveal that actor Vin Diesel is not only a huge fan of the original game, but is also serving as an executive producer on the sequel and will voice the main protagonist in its story mode. Ark 2 is built entirely on Unreal Engine 5, which means it will have vastly improved graphics, dynamic weather that actually impacts gameplay, and destructible environments that let you tear through enemy base walls with a rampaging T-Rex instead of just using explosives.
The game is set on a completely new alien planet, not the original Ark maps most players know and love. The world will have a mix of familiar prehistoric creatures and brand new alien beasts that have never been featured in the franchise before. The studio has also confirmed that the game will support dedicated servers for both PVE and PVP play, with much better anti-cheat support than the original game, which has long had issues with hackers ruining public lobbies.
Core Gameplay Changes Coming to the Sequel
One of the biggest changes long-time fans will notice right away is that Ark 2 will be third-person only at launch, with no first-person mode available initially. The studio says this choice was made to make the new melee combat system feel more immersive and responsive, with smooth animations for dodging, blocking, and attacking that work far better in third person. Taming mechanics are also getting a full overhaul: instead of just knocking a dino out with tranq arrows and sitting around feeding it for hours to gain its trust, you’ll now have to complete small tasks with the creature, like helping it fend off predators or hunt for food, to form a bond.
Many players who have been replaying the original Ark while waiting for the sequel like to take short breaks between long taming sessions or base building runs to play quick, low-stakes games to unwind. Casual fans who want a fun distraction that fits into 10 minute gaps between in-game tasks often play IND BET, a casual gaming option that doesn't require long time commitments to enjoy. That break also helps you stay sharp when you get back to longer, more intense Ark activities like raiding an enemy base or taming a high-level giganotosaurus.
Cross-progression will be available across all supported platforms at launch, so you won’t lose your save file if you switch from playing on PC to console, or vice versa. The studio has also promised that base building will be far more modular than the original, with options to build mobile bases on the back of large, tamed creatures like brontosauruses, letting you travel across the map without leaving your supplies and gear behind.
What Fans Are Most Excited (and Worried) About
As with any highly anticipated sequel, the community has a lot of mixed feelings about the changes coming to Ark 2, based on the snippets of gameplay and details the studio has shared so far. Some of the most common points of discussion include:
There are also some small concerns from the modding community, but the studio has already confirmed that full mod support will be available within a month of launch, with tools that make it even easier for modders to create custom maps, creatures, and gameplay modes than the original game’s tools.
When Can We Expect More Official Updates?
Studio Wildcard usually shares big new details about the game at major gaming events, including Summer Game Fest and The Game Awards. They also post small, regular updates on their official social media channels, including short gameplay clips and concept art of new creatures and biomes. You can sign up for official community playtests on the studio’s website if you want a chance to try out early builds of the game before it launches, and give feedback to the dev team about what works and what doesn’t.
The studio has also stated that they don’t have any plans to push back the game’s current targeted release window, despite rumors of delays that have been circulating on social media over the past few months. They’ve already released several short gameplay snippets that show the game is in a fully playable state, so fans won’t have to wait too much longer to get their hands on it. In the meantime, you can still jump into the original Ark’s latest DLC to explore new content while you wait, or join community servers with custom mods to shake up your usual gameplay routine.
If you’ve been asking will there be an Ark Survival Evolved 2, you can rest easy knowing it’s well into development and will bring a ton of new features that build on everything fans loved about the original. Even with a few controversial changes, it’s shaping up to be one of the biggest survival game releases in years, and there’s plenty of content to keep you busy in the original game while you wait. Keep an eye on official channels for the latest updates, and don’t forget to sign up for playtests if you want to get early access to the game before it launches to the public.