Ark 2 has been delayed again. Originally announced as a 2022 title, the game was pushed back to 2023, but Studio Wildcard has announced that the Vin Diesel-starring dinosaur survival sequel will require some more time to get to where the developer wants it to be. It is now scheduled to launch sometime in late 2024.
Studio Wildcard says that the game being built on Unreal Engine 5 (unlike its predecessor) is partly responsible for the delay, saying that the engine is “incredibly new technology” to it and that it has, as such, “adapted workflows and adjusted pipelines to accommodate” that change.
“Our goal is to make ARK 2 the best game it can be and provide a truly exceptional and rewarding experience for players,” the developer writes. “Unreal Engine 5 is incredibly new technology to us (and all developers), and we aim to use this cutting-edge tech to its fullest potential while creating a game with never-before-achieved scope at Studio Wildcard. As we learn more about the engine and develop the sequel, we have adapted our workflows and adjusted our pipelines to accommodate this new next-generation paradigm, and because of everything that involves, we need more time for development.”
The developer also confirms that it won’t be showcasing any new gameplay or screenshots for Ark 2 this year, though a gameplay reveal is now planned for 2024.
Meanwhile, the developer also says it’s aware of the fact that Ark 2 is going to be a very different experience from its predecessor in terms of both tone and gameplay– which is why, in order to ensure that Ark: Survival Evolved players will continue to have a current-gen experience that they’re familiar with, the Studio Wildcard has also announced Ark: Survival Ascended, an Unreal Engine 5 remaster for PS5, Xbox Series X/S, and PC. Read more on that through here.
Ark 2 is in development for Xbox Series X/S and PC. It will be available on Game Pass at launch, and will reportedly remain on the service for at least three years after that point.
