The highly anticipated dinosaur survival game, Ark 2, which had been shrouded in uncertainty and even rumored to be abandoned, is back on track. Developer Studio Wildcard has reignited excitement by announcing a new expansion for Ark: Survival Ascended, the remake of the original Ark game, which serves as a bridge to the sequel.
Dubbed Ark: Lost Colony, this is the first original expansion pack for Ark: Survival Ascended. The reveal trailer, produced by the renowned anime studio Mappa (known for works like Jujutsu Kaisen, Attack on Titan, and Chainsaw Man), features voiceover by the acclaimed actress Michelle Yeoh, who reprises her role as Mei Yin from Ark: The Animated Series.
Studio Wildcard has promised that Ark: Lost Colony will include numerous cinematic anime story sequences crafted by Mappa. Here’s the official description:
In this new frozen world, players follow in the footsteps of legendary Ark survivor Mei Yin, on a soul-searching quest deep into the chilling heart of darkness to find answers to long-buried secrets of Ark’s past.
Ark: Lost Colony will present survivors with thrilling new challenges as they become the hunted in a vast occupied city, and gain access to powerful new kinds of character abilities, unique gear, building systems, and phenomenally exotic tames.
Will Survivors be able to face down the demons lurking in Arat Prime, and connect Ark's past and future?
According to Studio Wildcard, Ark: Lost Colony “directly connects” the storylines of Ark’s Extinction and Genesis expansions and sets the stage for the events of Ark 2.
Ark 2 is the sequel to the immensely popular Ark: Survival Evolved, powered by Unreal Engine 5. It was initially unveiled with a surprise cameo by Vin Diesel at The Game Awards 2020, with an original release date set for 2022. However, it faced delays, first to 2023 and then to late 2024 as an Xbox Series X and S console exclusive, available day-one on Game Pass and on PC via Steam and Windows.
As of December 2023, Studio Wildcard maintained that Ark 2 was still on track for a late 2024 release. However, that timeline did not materialize, causing concern among fans. The recent announcement in March 2025 has helped to reassure fans that Ark 2 remains in development, though an updated release window was not provided.
On the other hand, Ark: Lost Colony has more concrete details. Pre-orders will start in June 2025, with immediate access to exclusive preview gameplay content. The full release is scheduled for November 2025, and the expansion will be priced at $29.99 for Xbox Series X and S, PlayStation 5, and PC.
