The eagerly awaited dinosaur survival game, Ark 2, which had sparked concerns among fans about potential delays or cancellation, has been revitalized following an exciting announcement from developer Studio Wildcard. They unveiled a new expansion for Ark: Survival Ascended, titled Ark: Lost Colony, which not only promises thrilling new content but also sets the stage for the much-anticipated sequel.

Ark: Lost Colony marks the first original expansion pack for the Ark 1 remake, Ark: Survival Ascended. The reveal trailer, showcased below, was masterfully produced by the renowned anime studio Mappa, known for their work on Jujutsu Kaisen, Attack on Titan, and Chainsaw Man. Adding to the excitement, the expansion features voiceover work by the acclaimed actress Michelle Yeoh, who returns to her role as Mei Yin from Ark: The Animated Series.

Studio Wildcard has promised that Ark: Lost Colony will include numerous cinema-grade anime story sequences crafted by Mappa. Here’s the official description:

In this new frozen world, players follow in the footsteps of legendary Ark survivor Mei Yin, on a soul-searching quest deep into the chilling heart of darkness to find answers to long-buried secrets of Ark’s past.

Ark: Lost Colony will present survivors with thrilling new challenges as they become the hunted in a vast occupied city, and gain access to powerful new kinds of character abilities, unique gear, building systems, and phenomenally exotic tames.

Will Survivors be able to face down the demons lurking in Arat Prime, and connect Ark's past and future?

In their press release, Studio Wildcard emphasized that Ark: Lost Colony “directly connects” the storylines of the Extinction and Genesis expansions, seamlessly leading into the events of Ark 2.

Ark 2 is the highly anticipated sequel to the blockbuster Ark: Survival Evolved, powered by Unreal Engine 5. Initially announced with a surprise appearance by Vin Diesel at The Game Awards 2020, the game was originally slated for a 2022 release. However, it faced multiple delays, first to 2023 and then to late 2024. Ark 2 is set to be an Xbox Series X and S console exclusive, launching day-one on Game Pass, and also available on PC via Steam and Windows.

As recently as December 2023, Studio Wildcard maintained that Ark 2 was on track for a late 2024 release. However, this did not materialize, leading to fan concerns. The announcement of Ark: Lost Colony in early 2025 serves as a reassurance that Ark 2 is still in development, though no new release window was provided.

More concrete details are available for Ark: Lost Colony. Pre-orders will commence in June 2025, with immediate access to exclusive preview gameplay content for all buyers. The full release is scheduled for November 2025, and Ark: Lost Colony will be priced at $29.99 for Xbox Series X and S, PlayStation 5, and PC.