Studio Wildcard unleashes ARK 2 details, media and more

We’re big fans of the ARK series here at Gaming Age and have been counting down the days until we can get our hands on the proper sequel.

Yesterday during the Xbox & Bethesda Showcase, thankfully, Studio Wildcard finally had more to show of ARK 2… even if it’s still probably more than a year away. The in-engine, Unreal Engine 5-powered ARK 2 trailer gave us a glimpse of what to expect in terms of setting and style somewhat, and of course more Vin Diesel as Santiago.

The footage is way too good looking and the features they’ve revealed certainly sound impressive, so we have our fingers crossed.

To celebrate the new ARK 2 news though is new ARK franchise content, details and updates as well including the base game being free to play on Steam, the release of the new cold weather Fjordur map, the ARK: The Animated Series having fourteen 30-minute episodes which are in post-production, the Switch Ultimate Edition version getting enhanced visuals and voice overs, and more.

See the new media and ARK 2 details below

ARK 2 Trailer:

ARK 2 screens/art:

Studio Wildcard revealed today new details of its highly anticipated sequel ARK 2 during the Xbox & Bethesda Games Showcase. Starring the talents of Vin Diesel (Fast Franchise) as the hero protagonist Santiago and announcing Auli’i Cravalho (Moana) as the voice of Santiago’s daughter Meeka, Studio Wildcard is using Unreal Engine 5?s photorealistic real-time lighting technology for this reimagined, next-generation survival experience. ARK 2 will launch in 2023, simultaneously on Steam Early Access and as a console launch exclusive for Xbox Series X|S and with Xbox and PC Game Pass on Game Preview.

ARK 2 features revealed today include:

  • BEST IN CLASS, THIRD-PERSON GAMEPLAY – Advanced character traversal mechanics include mantling, free-climbing, parkour, sliding, and swinging!
  • REVOLUTIONARY CROSS-PLATFORM MODDING – Fully stackable, user-created Mods for new creatures, items and gameplay features, with maps distributed across all platforms ? including onto Xbox ? and support for modded servers enabled through official mod support by mod.io
  • SOULS-LIKE MELEE COMBAT – Target-lock, blocks, dodges, combos, staggers and special attacks all emphasize player-skill based action.
  • MASSIVE, NEW ALIEN ENVIRONMENT – Explore a mysterious, chaotic world where native flora and fauna are being overrun by invasive primeval creatures, from an extinct Earth.
  • COMPONENT-BASED ITEM CRAFTING – Construct weapons and tools from a range of distinct modules to customize their look and functionality — millions of possible combinations enable players to craft their own unique gear! Specific materials will further affect the appearance of items, with multiple resource options in unique regions of the world.
  • DYNAMIC WORLD EVENTS – Natural and unnatural occurrences are always happening across the game world, independent of your presence! Your choices in deciding whether to interact with these events will yield rewards or challenges.
  • OPPOSING PVE FORCE – Hostile ‘Aratai’ hunt & attack you while riding their own tamed creatures, as they seek to drive human interlopers from their world.