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Ark 2’s release window has seen a new update as developers have confirmed that the game is now targeting a 2028 launch after a series of delays since its first reveal.
The confirmation came during the Snail Games Investor Day event, with Wildcard co-founder Jeremy Stieglitz explaining that the team decided to give the project more time to ensure the ambitious experience that the new installment promises.
Ark 2 was originally planned to be released in late 2024, before that date was withdrawn without a replacement, and now a 2028 window has been announced, meaning players will have to wait for at least two more years.
Despite the long wait, the developers have confirmed that players will get their first glimpse of Ark 2’s ideas before its official release through a massive ARK update: Survival Ascended, which is directly inspired by the upcoming installment and is set to launch at the end of 2027.
Snail Games also announced that Ark: Survival Ascended has surpassed 4 million copies sold, reflecting the continued popularity of the series despite the absence of a new installment.
Before Ark 2 arrives, the game is gearing up for a major expansion titled ARK: Lost Colony, which will add a new storyline and significantly expand the game’s world. One of the most notable new features is the ability to recruit NPCs to join the player’s tribe.
This expansion will be told in a cinematic style through MAPPA’s anime scenes and UE5 Metahuman scenes with recognizable names such as Michelle Yeoh, Madeleine Madden, Auliʻi Cravalho, and Karl Urban.
The developers also revealed a series of upcoming projects and updates ahead of Ark 2’s launch, most notably:
- Q1 2026: ARK: Survival of the Fittest, a competitive mode focused on team-based encounters and eSports
- Q2 2026: Bob’s True Tales: Tides of Fortune, a pirate-themed expansion and a new map, ARK Genesis
- Q3 2026: ARK World Creator tool for content development and mods in a style close to UEFN and Roblox
- Q4 2026: Ark Dragontopia expansion
- Q1 2027: Ark Atlantis expansion
- Q2 2027: Bob’s True Tales: Galaxy Wars with a space theme and space battles
- Q4 2027: Legacy of Santiago, a narrative introduction to the events of Ark 2 described as an experiment to test the ideas and systems of the new installment
The developers confirmed that Legacy of Santiago may not be the last update for Ark: Survival Ascended, suggesting that the game will continue to be supported until Ark 2.
All in all, Ark 2 seems to be a long-term project that Wildcard is betting on for the long term while trying to keep the player community busy with a huge series of updates and expansions over the coming years.
