Survival Ascended – Two-Year Roadmap Lays Out Ambitious Future Plans
Studio Wildcard has unveiled an extensive roadmap for ARK: Survival Ascended, detailing nearly two years of planned updates and content. The updated roadmap highlights the developer’s commitment to expanding the game with new features, enhancements, and experiences for players. Over the next 24 months, fans can expect a steady flow of fresh content, including new creatures, maps, gameplay mechanics, and quality-of-life improvements.
This long-term plan aims to keep the community engaged and excited, building on the foundation of the original ARK: Survival Evolved while introducing next-gen upgrades. With this roadmap, Studio Wildcard is setting the stage for a dynamic and evolving survival experience, ensuring ARK: Survival Ascended remains a standout title in the genre. Players can look forward to a mix of familiar elements and innovative additions as the game continues to grow.
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Studio Wildcard Unveils Ambitious Two-Year Roadmap for ARK – Survival Ascended
The remastered version of the beloved survival crafting game ARK: Survival Evolved, now titled ARK: Survival Ascended, made its debut in early access in late November 2023. Since its launch, Studio Wildcard has been diligently working to deliver regular content updates, ensuring the game evolves with player feedback and expectations. This commitment to continuous improvement has kept the community engaged and excited about the future of the franchise. On January 11, Studio Wildcard, based in Redmond, Washington, unveiled an ambitious updated roadmap for ARK: Survival Ascended, outlining a comprehensive plan that stretches all the way to late 2026. This roadmap not only highlights the studio’s long-term vision for the game but also underscores its dedication to delivering a polished and expansive experience for players. The first major milestone on the agenda isn’t a content drop but a critical technical update: transitioning the game to Unreal Engine 5.5. This upgrade is expected to bring significant performance improvements, including enhanced graphics, smoother gameplay, and better optimization across various platforms. By leveraging the latest advancements in Unreal Engine 5.5, Studio Wildcard aims to push the boundaries of what’s possible in a survival crafting game, offering players a more immersive and visually stunning experience.
One of the most anticipated aspects of this technical update is the reintroduction of support for Nvidia’s frame generation technology. This feature, which was temporarily removed in late 2024 due to engine-related issues, is set to make a comeback, promising smoother frame rates and improved performance for players with compatible hardware. The reintroduction of this technology is a testament to Studio Wildcard’s commitment to addressing player concerns and ensuring the game runs as efficiently as possible. Beyond the technical upgrades, the roadmap is packed with exciting content updates that will keep players engaged for years to come. Over the next two years, fans can look forward to a steady stream of new creatures, maps, and gameplay mechanics. Each update is designed to expand the world of ARK: Survival Ascended, offering fresh challenges and opportunities for exploration. The studio has also hinted at the introduction of new biomes, each with its own unique ecosystems and dangers, further enriching the game’s already diverse environments. In addition to new content, Studio Wildcard is focusing on quality-of-life improvements that will enhance the overall player experience. These updates include streamlined crafting systems, improved user interfaces, and more intuitive controls.
The developers are also working on balancing gameplay mechanics to ensure a fair and enjoyable experience for both new and veteran players. By listening to community feedback and implementing these changes, Studio Wildcard aims to create a game that is not only fun to play but also accessible to a wide audience. The roadmap also teases the return of fan-favorite features from the original ARK: Survival Evolved, reimagined and enhanced for the remastered version. This includes the reintroduction of popular mods, which will be integrated into the base game with improved stability and performance. The studio has expressed its commitment to supporting the modding community, recognizing the vital role it plays in keeping the game fresh and exciting. As part of its long-term vision, Studio Wildcard is also exploring the possibility of cross-platform play, allowing players on different devices to join forces and survive together. This feature, if implemented, would significantly expand the game’s multiplayer capabilities, fostering a more connected and collaborative community. The studio is also considering the addition of new multiplayer modes, offering players even more ways to experience the world of ARK: Survival Ascended with friends.
In addition to gameplay updates, the roadmap includes plans for expanded lore and storytelling. Studio Wildcard is working on new narrative elements that will delve deeper into the mysteries of the ARK universe, providing players with a richer and more immersive experience. These story-driven updates will be woven into the game’s existing content, offering new insights and challenges for those who seek to uncover the secrets of the ARK. To support these ambitious plans, Studio Wildcard is investing in its development team, bringing on new talent and expanding its resources. This growth will enable the studio to deliver high-quality updates on a consistent basis, ensuring that ARK: Survival Ascended remains a top-tier survival crafting game for years to come. The studio has also pledged to maintain open communication with the community, providing regular updates and transparency about the development process. In conclusion, the updated roadmap for ARK: Survival Ascended reflects Studio Wildcard’s unwavering commitment to the game and its community. With a mix of technical upgrades, new content, and quality-of-life improvements, the studio is setting the stage for an exciting future. Players can look forward to a dynamic and evolving experience that builds on the foundation of the original ARK: Survival Evolved while introducing innovative new features. As the game continues to grow, ARK: Survival Ascended is poised to remain a standout title in the survival crafting genre, offering endless opportunities for exploration, creativity, and adventure.
ARK: Survival Ascended Unveils Comprehensive Content Roadmap for 2025–2026
The transition to Unreal Engine 5 (UE5) represents a pivotal moment for ARK: Survival Ascended, as it not only brings significant technical improvements but also paves the way for a more streamlined and player-friendly experience. One of the key goals of this update is to restructure the game’s data, allowing players to download DLC packs individually. This selective approach to content delivery is designed to address one of the most common pain points for players: the game’s large install size. By enabling players to choose which maps and expansions they want to install, Studio Wildcard is making the game more accessible and manageable, particularly for those with limited storage space. This change reflects the studio’s commitment to improving the overall user experience while maintaining the depth and richness of the game’s content. In April 2025, players can look forward to a significant content update that will introduce a “Fantastic Tame” and a free creature—a Bison. The “Fantastic Tame” is expected to be a unique and powerful creature with special abilities, offering players new strategies and gameplay opportunities. The Bison, on the other hand, will serve as a versatile and reliable companion, capable of aiding players in various tasks such as resource gathering and transportation. These additions are just the beginning of what promises to be a steady stream of new content designed to keep the game fresh and engaging.
June 2025 will mark the release of another new map, which Studio Wildcard has confirmed will be offered as paid DLC. While details about the map are still under wraps, the studio has hinted that it will feature a distinct environment with its own set of challenges and rewards. This map is expected to expand the game’s world significantly, offering players new areas to explore, resources to gather, and creatures to encounter. The decision to release this map as paid DLC reflects the studio’s confidence in the value it will bring to the game, and players can expect more information to be revealed in the months leading up to its release, potentially as early as spring 2025. August 2025 will bring another wave of content, including another “Fantastic Tame” and a community-voted free creature. The inclusion of a community-voted creature is particularly exciting, as it gives players a direct say in the game’s development. This approach not only fosters a sense of ownership and involvement among the player base but also ensures that the new content aligns with the community’s preferences and expectations. The “Fantastic Tame” will continue to expand the game’s roster of unique and powerful creatures, offering players new ways to tackle the challenges of the ARK universe.
As we move into 2026, Studio Wildcard’s focus will shift to remastering ARK: Survival Evolved’s Genesis expansions. Genesis: Part 1 is scheduled for release in April 2026, followed by Genesis: Part 2 in August 2026. These expansions will bring a wealth of new content, including new creatures, biomes, and gameplay mechanics. Both expansions will be accompanied by segments of Bob’s True Tales, a new content series that was previously announced as part of the game’s season pass. Bob’s True Tales is expected to delve deeper into the lore of the ARK universe, offering players new narrative-driven experiences that enrich the game’s story and world-building. In December 2026, a remastered version of the Fjordur map will be released as a free update. This fan-favorite map will be reimagined with enhanced visuals and gameplay improvements, offering players a new way to experience its unique landscapes and creatures. The decision to release Fjordur as a free update is a testament to Studio Wildcard’s commitment to giving back to the community and ensuring that all players can enjoy the game’s evolving content. Throughout 2026, Studio Wildcard also plans to introduce three more “Fantastic Tames,” continuing to expand the game’s roster of creatures with unique abilities and designs. These creatures will offer players new strategies and gameplay opportunities, further enriching the ARK: Survival Ascended experience. While the roadmap provides a broad overview of the studio’s plans, it’s possible that smaller surprises and updates will be revealed along the way.
The roadmap is intended to give players a high-level view of what’s to come, but Studio Wildcard has hinted that additional content and features may be added as development progresses. In addition to these major updates, Studio Wildcard is also focusing on quality-of-life improvements that will enhance the overall player experience. These updates include streamlined crafting systems, improved user interfaces, and more intuitive controls. The developers are also working on balancing gameplay mechanics to ensure a fair and enjoyable experience for both new and veteran players. By listening to community feedback and implementing these changes, Studio Wildcard aims to create a game that is not only fun to play but also accessible to a wide audience. The studio is also exploring the possibility of cross-platform play, which would allow players on different devices to join forces and survive together. This feature, if implemented, would significantly expand the game’s multiplayer capabilities, fostering a more connected and collaborative community. The studio is also considering the addition of new multiplayer modes, offering players even more ways to experience the world of ARK: Survival Ascended with friends. In conclusion, the next two years promise to be an exciting time for ARK: Survival Ascended players, with a mix of technical improvements, new creatures, maps, and expansions on the horizon. Studio Wildcard’s commitment to refining the game and delivering fresh content ensures that ARK: Survival Ascended will continue to captivate and challenge players for years to come. Whether you’re a seasoned survivor or a newcomer to the ARK universe, there’s never been a better time to dive in and explore all that this dynamic and evolving game has to offer.
