The much-anticipated dinosaur survival game, Ark 2, which had raised concerns about potential delays or even cancellation, has been revitalized with the announcement of a new expansion for Ark: Survival Ascended. This expansion, titled Ark: Lost Colony, marks the first original expansion pack for the remake of the original Ark game and serves as a bridge to the upcoming sequel.
The reveal trailer for Ark: Lost Colony, showcased below, was crafted by the renowned anime studio Mappa, known for their work on Jujutsu Kaisen, Attack on Titan, and Chainsaw Man. The trailer features voiceover work by Michelle Yeoh, who reprises her role as Mei Yin from Ark: The Animated Series.
Studio Wildcard has announced that Ark: Lost Colony will include numerous cinema-grade anime story sequences created 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?
According to Studio Wildcard's press note, Ark: Lost Colony seamlessly connects the storylines from the Extinction and Genesis expansions, setting the stage for the events of Ark 2.
Ark 2, powered by Unreal Engine 5, is the sequel to the highly successful Ark: Survival Evolved. It was initially unveiled with a surprise appearance by Vin Diesel at The Game Awards 2020, targeting a 2022 release. However, it faced multiple delays, first to 2023, and then to late 2024, where it was slated to launch as an Xbox Series X and S console exclusive, available day-one on Game Pass, and on PC via Steam and Windows.
Despite assurances from Studio Wildcard as recently as December 2023 that Ark 2 was on track for a late 2024 release, the game did not meet this deadline, leading to fan concerns. The announcement of Ark: Lost Colony in March 2025 reassures fans that Ark 2 remains in development, though no new release window was provided.
For Ark: Lost Colony, pre-orders will begin in June 2025, with all pre-orders unlocking exclusive preview gameplay content immediately. The full release is scheduled for November 2025, and the expansion will be available for $29.99 on Xbox Series X and S, PlayStation 5, and PC.
