"Michelle Yeoh Stars in Ark: Survival Ascended's Lost Colony, Prelude to Ark 2"
The highly anticipated dinosaur survival game, Ark 2, which had sparked concern among fans due to a lack of updates, is now back in the spotlight. Developer Studio Wildcard has unveiled a new expansion for the Ark: Survival Ascended remake, titled Ark: Lost Colony, which sets the stage for the sequel.
Ark: Lost Colony marks the first original expansion pack for Ark: Survival Ascended. Its reveal trailer, crafted by the renowned anime studio Mappa, known for hits like Jujutsu Kaisen, Attack on Titan, and Chainsaw Man, features voiceover work by the acclaimed Michelle Yeoh, who reprises her role as Mei Yin from Ark: The Animated Series.
Studio Wildcard promises that the expansion will include numerous cinema-grade anime story sequences produced by Mappa. The official description reads: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 note, Studio Wildcard stated that Ark: Lost Colony "directly connects" the storylines of Ark's Extinction and Genesis expansions and leads into the events of Ark 2.
Ark 2, powered by Unreal Engine 5, is the sequel to the immensely popular Ark: Survival Evolved. It was first unveiled with a surprise appearance by Vin Diesel at The Game Awards 2020, initially slated for a 2022 release. However, it faced multiple delays, first to 2023, and then to late 2024 as an Xbox Series X and S console exclusive, available day-one on Game Pass, and on PC via Steam and Windows.
Despite Studio Wildcard's assurances in December 2023 that Ark 2 was on track for a late 2024 release, the game did not meet that deadline, raising concerns among fans. The announcement of Ark: Lost Colony in March 2025 serves as a reassuring sign that Ark 2 is still in development, although no new release window was provided.More concrete details are available for Ark: Lost Colony. Pre-orders will begin in June 2025, with immediate access to exclusive preview gameplay content upon purchase. The full release is scheduled for November 2025, with Ark: Lost Colony priced at $29.99 for Xbox Series X and S, PlayStation 5, and PC.