Summary
- ARK: Survival Ascended has unveiled an updated content roadmap that extends until the end of 2026.
- The remastered version of ARK: Survival Evolved will transition to Unreal Engine 5 and introduce multiple new maps over the next two years.
- The game will feature new Fantastic Tames and community-voted free creatures in the upcoming updates.
Studio Wildcard has recently released an updated content roadmap for ARK: Survival Ascended, detailing nearly two years of exciting updates. This remaster of the popular survival crafting game, ARK: Survival Evolved, initially entered early access in late November 2023. Since then, Studio Wildcard has been consistently rolling out content updates.
On January 11, the developer, based in Redmond, Washington, shared its roadmap extending through late 2026. The first major update, planned for March 2025, involves a technical patch upgrading ARK: Survival Ascended to Unreal Engine 5.5. This upgrade promises significant performance enhancements and the reintroduction of support for Nvidia's frame generation, which was temporarily removed due to engine issues in the latter half of 2024.
ARK: Survival Ascended Content Roadmap for 2025–2026
| Period | Content |
|---|---|
| March 2025 | ASA Unreal Engine 5.5 update. |
| April 2025 | Free Ragnarok Ascended, Bison (Free Creature), and a Fantastic Tame. |
| June 2025 | A new premium map (to be announced). |
| August 2025 | Free Valguero Ascended with a community-voted free creature, and Fantastic Tame. |
| April 2026 | Free Genesis Ascended Part 1 & Bob's True Tales Part 1. |
| August 2026 | Free Genesis Ascended Part 2 & Bob's True Tales Part 2. |
| December 2026 | Free Fjordur Ascended with a community-voted free creature. |
| 2026 | 3 Fantastic Tames spread throughout the year. |
The UE5 update will further support Studio Wildcard's initiative to restructure the game's data, allowing players to download ARK: Survival Ascended DLC packs individually. This approach aims to reduce the game's overall install size by enabling selective map downloads. Following the UE5 update, new content is set to be introduced in April 2025, including a Fantastic Tame and a free Bison creature.
In June 2025, a new premium map will be released as paid DLC. Details about this map are expected to be revealed in early spring. August 2025 will bring another Fantastic Tame and a community-voted free creature.
Looking ahead to 2026, Studio Wildcard plans to remaster ARK: Survival Evolved's Genesis expansions. Genesis: Part 1 is scheduled for April 2026, followed by Part 2 in August 2026. Both releases will coincide with parts of Bob's True Tales, a new content drop included in the game's season pass. Additionally, a remastered version of the Fjordur map will be available as a free update in December 2026. Throughout 2026, three more Fantastic Tames will be introduced.
The roadmap provides a broad overview of the major updates planned for ARK: Survival Ascended, hinting at potential smaller surprises in the coming years.
