The new edition ARK: Survival Ascended will be provided with fresh content and innovations until at least the end of 2026. This is now evident from a new and updated roadmap.
Studio Wildcard continues to work on the revised version of the survival classic ARK, namely ARK: Survival Ascended. The development studio has now published a roadmap that provides information about the planned innovations and content in the future. What's encouraging is that the roadmap already looks into the future for around two years until the end of 2026. Until then, ARK: Survival Ascended will definitely continue to be supported.
Studio Wildcard published the updated roadmap on January 11, 2025 and promises a first major update for March this year. However, this is not a content patch, but rather a technical update. ARK: Survival Ascended will then be updated to the latest version of Unreal Engine 5, version 5.5.
This patch alone should result in significant performance improvements for players. Support for NVIDIA's frame generation will also be reintegrated around this time frame; This feature was initially removed in the second half of 2024 due to some engine-based issues, but is now coming back.
With the UE5 update in March, efforts to restructure the file structure will continue. The goal is for players to be able to download DLC packs for ARK: Survival Ascended individually. This should make a more targeted installation of individual file packages possible and the installation size easier to manage.
The first new content will be available in April 2025, including in the form of a new creature: the bison. A new map is planned for June 2025, but in the form of a paid DLC.
In 2026, the Genesis expansions of the original game ARK: Survival Evolved will be remastered and released in two parts. There will be a revised version of the Fjordur map in December 2026.
Overall, the timetable looks like this:
- March 2025 - ASA Unreal Engine 5.5 Update
- April 2025 - Free Ragnarok Ascended, Bison (free creature) & Fantastic Tame
- Juni 2025 - New Premium Map (to be announced)
- August 2025 - Free Valguero Ascended with community-voted free creature & 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
- Dezember 2026 - Free Fjordur Ascended with community-voted free creature
- 2026 - 3 Fantastic Tames spread throughout the year
Autobattler, communism and scurrying. Pirmin looked at which early access titles will appear in their full versions in 2024. There are some very interesting titles that you shouldn't miss. Have fun!
