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Ark: Survival Ascended

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Ark: Survival Ascended is an action-adventure survival video game developed by Studio Wildcard. It is a remaster of the 2017 game Ark: Survival Evolved.[1] It was released in early access for Windows on October 25, 2023,[1] Xbox Series X/S on November 21, 2023,[2] and PlayStation 5 on November 30, 2023.[3] The full release is planned for late 2024.

Ark: Survival Ascended
Developer(s)
Publisher(s)Snail Games
Composer(s)Gareth Coker
EngineUnreal Engine 5
Platform(s)
Release
  • Windows
  • October 25, 2023 (early access)
  • 2024 (full game)
  • Xbox Series X/S
  • November 21, 2023 (early access)
  • 2024 (full game)
  • PlayStation 5
  • November 30, 2023 (early access)
  • 2024 (full game)
Genre(s)MMORPG, action-adventure, survival
Mode(s)Single-player, multiplayer

Development

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ARK: Survival Ascended was announced in March 2023 to be released in August 2023,[4][5] however this release window was then delayed until October 2023.[6] Survival Evolved's official servers were set to be shut down at the same time,[4] with the shutdown date being delayed until September 30, 2023 when Survival Ascended's release window was pushed back.[6] Unlike previously stated by the studio co-founder, the remaster would not be a free upgrade.[4] Survival Ascended was eventually released in early access for Windows on October 25, 2023,[7] Xbox Series X/S on November 21, 2023,[8] and PlayStation 5 on November 30, 2023.[9]

The remaster includes a graphical overhaul, providing improved visuals, character models, and environments by using Unreal Engine 5.[10]

Ark: Survival Ascended is available in early access, including the base game with the Island map and plans to release all Ark: Survival Evolved map DLCs in their original order. The final map, Fjordur, is expected in October 2025,[11] shortly before the release of Ark 2. The game also features a remaster of the battle royale mode, Survival Of The Fittest as well as Club Ark, a hub for social minigames.[12]

Reception

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Initially the early access release received a wave of negative reviews, primarily due to performance issues. Users reported low FPS, frequent game crashes, and loss of world saves. Server stability was problematic, with the Official Network frequently taken down for hours to address critical exploits. These downtimes often resulted in "rollbacks", causing players to lose progress and become frustrated. Additionally, the console editions experienced significant delays, being pushed back nearly a month from the PC release.[13][14]

Studio Wildcard addressed some of the issues observed on release by improving server stability and fixing bugs.[15] This shifted attention to the gameplay itself, with a lot of focus being on the aspects that set it apart from Survival Evolved. The Steam rating of "Mixed" reflects the communities divided opinion on the improvements and new features.[16] Below are a few points commonly mentioned by reviewers. This list is not exhaustive and may reflect subjective opinions of the sources cited.

  • A cross platform modding system through Overwolf allowed creators to easily make and distribute mods to the community.[17]
  • Visuals and graphics were much improved through additions like dynamic fluids, interactive foliage and volumetric clouds.[14][18]
  • The character creation system was overhauled with the ability to customize much finer details.[19][14]
  • Building was improved, with more structures and better "snapping" on uneven terrains.[19][20][18]

Criticism

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  • Despite attempts at optimization, the game continued to face criticism for poor performance, even on high-end hardware. Many users resorted to playing on the lowest visual settings and using console commands to disable features like volumetric clouds. This significantly diminished one of the game's main attractions - its visuals.[19][16]
  • Paid additions have been described as Pay2Win, offering an advantage that can only be attained through purchase. This is most notably seen with the Pyromane beginning the pay-to-win Fantastic Tames series, a strong, fire-controlling lion that requires players to purchase a $4.99 expansion to tame.[21][22][23] As well as the Dreadmare, the second iteration in the pay-to-win Fantastic Tames series.
  • Rentable servers are now only available through server provider Nitrado due to an exclusivity agreement made with Studio Wildcard,[24][25][26] however you can still self-host a server for free if you have a computer to host the server on.[27]
  • Bugs present on Ark: Survival Evolved persisting to Survival Ascended cast doubts the game was truly "rebuilt from the ground up" as Studio Wildcard claimed.[28]

Sales

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Ark: Survival Ascended sold over 600,000 copies in the first two weeks and reached 1.6 million within 5 months.[29]

References

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  1. ^ a b Yin-Poole, Wesley (October 25, 2023). "First Look at Ark: Survival Ascended Debuts During Xbox Partner Preview, Will Launch on Steam Today". IGN. Retrieved October 25, 2023.
  2. ^ "Ark Survival Ascended PS5 Release Date Delayed Again – DystopiaDaily.com". November 25, 2023. Retrieved November 30, 2023.
  3. ^ Williams, Demi (November 29, 2023). "Ark: Survival Ascended launches on PS5 tomorrow following delay". TechRadar. Retrieved November 30, 2023.
  4. ^ a b c Smith, Graham (April 1, 2023). "Ark 2 is delayed, so they're turning off Survival Evolved's official servers and charging $50 for a remaster". Rock Paper Shotgun. Gamer Network. Archived from the original on April 1, 2023. Retrieved April 2, 2023.
  5. ^ Martin, Cole (October 25, 2023). "Ark: Survival Ascended gameplay finally hatches in a new trailer during Xbox Partner Preview showcase (UPDATE)". Windows Central. Retrieved October 26, 2023.
  6. ^ a b "Community Crunch 368: ASA Roadmap Update, ASA Comparison, and More!". survivetheark.com. July 1, 2023. Archived from the original on July 1, 2023. Retrieved July 1, 2023.
  7. ^ Martin, Cole (October 25, 2023). "Ark: Survival Ascended gameplay finally hatches in a new trailer during Xbox Partner Preview showcase". Windows Central. Retrieved October 25, 2023.
  8. ^ "Ark Survival Ascended PS5 Release Date Delayed Again – DystopiaDaily.com". November 25, 2023. Retrieved November 30, 2023.
  9. ^ Williams, Demi (November 29, 2023). "Ark: Survival Ascended launches on PS5 tomorrow following delay". TechRadar. Retrieved November 30, 2023.
  10. ^ Martin, Cole (October 25, 2023). "Ark: Survival Ascended gameplay finally hatches in a new trailer during Xbox Partner Preview showcase". Windows Central. Retrieved October 25, 2023.
  11. ^ Challies, Josh (June 20, 2024). "Ark Survival Ascended update roadmap - All upcoming new maps and DLC". Dot Esports.
  12. ^ "'ARK x Power Rangers' and the launch of Club ARK today!". ARK - Official Community Forums. June 17, 2024. Retrieved June 30, 2024.
  13. ^ Yin-Poole, Wesley (October 26, 2023). "Ark: Survival Ascended Is a Hit on Steam, but Performance Complaints Dampen Launch". IGN. Retrieved June 30, 2024.
  14. ^ a b c Reporter, Matt Wales News (November 25, 2023). "Ark: Survival Ascended is a striking upgrade but old problems set alarm bells ringing". Eurogamer.net. Retrieved June 30, 2024.
  15. ^ "Community Crunch 385: Console and LiveOps Update, Extra Life Update, and More!". ARK - Official Community Forums. November 4, 2023. Retrieved June 30, 2024.
  16. ^ a b Troughton, James (October 26, 2023). "Ark: Survival Ascended Slammed By Fans For Poor Performance". TheGamer. Retrieved June 30, 2024.
  17. ^ "How ARK: Survival Ascended is Empowering Modders to Create for Every Platform". Microsoft Game Dev. Retrieved June 30, 2024.
  18. ^ a b "Ark: Survival Ascended Early Access Review – Dino Crisis". GamingBolt. Retrieved June 30, 2024.
  19. ^ a b c Chick, Kevin (November 14, 2024). "ARK: Survival Ascended Impressions - The Good, The Bad And The Ugly". mmorpg.com.
  20. ^ "For Gamers... Ark Survival Ascended review..so far by genchang2112 on DeviantArt". www.deviantart.com. December 3, 2023. Retrieved June 30, 2024.
  21. ^ Jr, Richard Northrup (June 10, 2024). "Latest Ark: Survival Ascended Updates Point To Disturbing Trend For Ark 2". ScreenRant. Retrieved June 30, 2024.
  22. ^ Lang, Brad (June 5, 2024). "Ark: Survival Ascended - The Center Faces Backlash Over Newly-Released Pyromane". ScreenRant.
  23. ^ Pal, Sambit (June 5, 2024). "New $5 paid shoulder pet in ARK Survival Ascended can transform into a fiery lion mount". sportskeeda.com.
  24. ^ updated, Cole Martin last (October 31, 2023). "Ark: Survival Ascended — Xbox release, servers, and everything you need to know". Windows Central. Retrieved June 30, 2024.
  25. ^ "Nitrado (Marbis) becomes exclusive host for ASE, ASA, and Ark II. | BUKANIER". www.bukanier.org. Retrieved June 30, 2024.
  26. ^ brandon. "ARK: Survival Ascended Server Hosting Exclusivity Agreement is a Massive Step Backward for Players". www.bisecthosting.com. Retrieved June 30, 2024.
  27. ^ "Dedicated server setup". ARK Wiki. Retrieved November 26, 2024.
  28. ^ D'Amato, Lee (December 14, 2023). "Is Ark: Survival Ascended Worth Playing If You Enjoyed Evolved?". ScreenRant. Retrieved June 30, 2024.
  29. ^ "Snail, Inc. Reports Fourth Quarter & Full Year 2023 Financial Results". investor.snail.com. April 1, 2024.
 

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