ARK: Survival Ascended Info

Posted on April 19, 2023January 17, 2024 by darkjester

All the info we know about ARK: Survival Ascended (ASA) features and changes. It is an enhanced and remastered version of ARK: Survival Evolved, set to provide players with an immersive and upgraded gaming experience.

It will be available on PC Windows/Steam, Xbox Series S/X, and PlayStation 5. The game will be launched as a standalone package for Early Access, priced at $44.99. There will be a launch-discount bringing the price down to $39.99.

We will be hosting ARK: Survival Ascended servers, have a look here for more information. As we get more information we will update this article.

ARK: Survival Ascended DLC Release Schedule

The game is scheduled for release in October 2023.

A full updated release schedule is available here.

The Island (Released at Launch)

Note on this feature from Community Crunch 381 (survivetheark.com):
^{So, we’re going back to the name SOTF. It felt easier to say than TSOTF, but more importantly, SOTF will not be available at launch. We still intend to do it, but we’re putting all our time, resources, energy, sweat, and blood into remastering the game to make it as good as possible. After launch, we’ll be tackling remastering SOTF (as an in-game downloadable Mod) for a Winter Release!}

December 21st 2023 – Cryopods, Survival of the Fittest
January 24th 2024 – Clustered Map (Transfer between servers)
February 2024 – The Center + The Gigantoraptor
April 1st 2024 – Scorched Earth + Frontier Adventure Pack
July 2024 – Aberration
September 2024 – Ragnarok
October 2024 – Extinction
November 2024 – A surprise!
December 2024- Valguero
February 2025 – Genesis
April 2025 – Crystal Isles
May 2025 – Genesis: Part 2
August 2025 – Lost Island
October 2025 – Fjordur

Game Enhancements

Dynamic Navigation Mesh and Creature Pathfinding Overhaul: This feature will improve AI pathfinding, providing a more realistic and immersive gaming experience.
Photo Mode: Players can capture their in-game moments and share them with others using this feature.
Nvidia DLSS: Graphics performance will be enhanced through the integration of Nvidia DLSS technology.
Character Creation & Customisation Improvements: Players will have more options and control over their character’s appearance, allowing for more personalization.

Gameplay Info And Improvements For ARK: Survival Ascended

Updated Mini-Map: Features pan, zoom, pings, and more, similar to the SOTF mini-map.
Ping System: Enhances in-game communication between players.
Total UI Revamp
New Structures & Building QOL Improvements: Display cases, smaller TEK Teleporters, increased foundation support, foundation height adjustments, and more.
Snap Point Improvements: New snaps and logic improvements will offer a better building experience.
Dino/Baby Management QOL: Quality of life improvements will be introduced for better management of dinosaurs and their offspring.
The new Dino-Manager system will allow you to view the real-time status and track-locations of all your creatures at will through one unified menu.
Wild Babies: This new gameplay element adds more challenges and dynamics to the game.
Queueing System: This feature will streamline the joining process for players.

Note on this feature from Community Crunch 381 (survivetheark.com):
^{There will not be a queue system at launch, given that we intended to have it implemented with SOTF. We’re still weighing up the technicalities of implementing this and whether it’s worth it for the game — depends on the direction we take SOTF — but we hear the concerns about “queue botting”, and will make sure that it’s a server-side configurable that can be disabled (and will be on our Official PvP servers) as well as implement measures to prevent this (such as blocking from the same connection, hardware, etc).}
New Third-Person Camera: With the option to opt-out for those who prefer the traditional view.
Directional Sprinting and Walking: Improved character movement mechanics.
Gamepad Cursor: Better usability for gamepad users.
Chibi Slot and Skins Tab: More customization options for players.
Balance Passes: Adjustments to Cave Entrances, MEKs, Aberration Creatures, more breedable creatures.
Over time 11 Brand-new creatures will be added.
And More: Additional unlisted enhancements planned for ARK: Survival Ascended, between now and launch.

Game Engine Updates

Unreal Engine 5 Overhaul: Improved graphics and performance with Nanite, Lumen, and RTXDI technology.
Dynamic Water & Interactive Foliage: Enhanced visuals and immersion with dynamic water and interactive foliage.
Performance Gains: Instanced rendering, threaded server networking, and native physics engine for better game performance.
Cross-Platform Multiplayer: Access your account, character, dinos, and items across different platforms, with cross-progression, cross-voice chat, and friends support.
Cross-Platform Anti-Cheat: A secure and fair gaming environment.

Modding

Cross-Platform Modding: Collaborating with Overwolf, ARK: Survival Ascended will introduce a cross-platform modding experience where mods created on PC can be delivered directly to console players.
Premium Mods: Mod authors can set price points for their mods, with 50% of the price going to the author. Overwolf and Wildcard will review these mods for quality control and value.
Streamlined Process for Upgrading Legacy Mods: Developers plan to help current/former sponsored modders prepare their mods for ARK: Survival Ascended before launch.

ARK: Survival Ascended will continue to receive new features, content drops, creatures, items, structures, and DLCs to keep the game fresh and engaging for players. With these enhancements and the release schedule, ARK: Survival Ascended aims to provide an unparalleled gaming experience across multiple platforms.