Ark 2 may not get Early Access launch until 2027

Ark 2, the sequel to Ark: Survival Evolved, has seen its expected release window shift once again. Initially slated for 2023, then delayed to late 2024, its Steam release date was recently adjusted to a vague “to be announced”. Now, Studio Wildcard, the developers behind the Ark franchise, have expressed a target of a 2027 debut.

In a recent interview with PCGamesN, Studio Wildcard co-founders Jesse Rapczak and Jeremy Stieglitz clarified the studio’s strategy. They revealed that Ark 2‘s development was partially put on hold to focus efforts on Ark Survival Ascended. According to the co-founders, this decision has been important in allowing the team to gain a deeper understanding of Unreal Engine 5 and experiment with the engine’s new capabilities and technologies.

Jeremy Stieglitz indicated that only “a small portion” of their team is currently dedicated to working on the combat mechanics in Ark 2, which will be souls-like. As per the developer, making this type of combat work in a multiplayer PvP context is pretty tricky. Stieglitz added that transforming the existing Ark 2 material into a functional early access game would require about 18 months of concentrated development time from a significant portion of the team.

With Ark Survival Ascended now out in the open, Studio Wildcard executives are reportedly seeking to transition their development focus back to Ark 2 without disrupting the revenue stream generated by Ark Survival Ascended. Previous Ark 2 videos and statements from Wildcard have outlined ambitious changes for the sequel. These include a reworked traversal system, a shift to third-person gameplay, and the already mentioned “soulslike” PvP combat. Furthermore, the new game will introduce NPC antagonists, a departure from the purely wild monsters found in existing Ark titles.

KitGuru says: Are you a fan of the Ark games? Are you interested in the upcoming Ark sequel?

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