Studio Wildcard has unveiled a new official mod program for ARK: Survival Evolved. Content will include community mods and new maps that will be part of the main game on Xbox One and PC, according to a press release issued Friday. The company also announced release dates of ARK: Survival of the Fittest, for PS4.

The first map, called ‘The Center’, will be published next month. According to Wildcard, it will expand the content within the dinosaur survival adventure, by more than double. A second map called ‘Primitive Plus’ will arrive in summer.

Ark: Survival Evolved will be available at a starting price of $29.99 in stores nationwide. It's worth mentioning the game developer has already sold almost 4 million copies on Windows. Credit: Dual Shockers
Ark: Survival Evolved will be available at a starting price of $29.99 in stores nationwide. It’s worth mentioning the game developer has already sold almost 4 million copies on Windows. Credit: Dual Shockers

ARK players on Steam have already been able to play the pack of community mods. However, this is the first time that it will be available for Xbox One gamers. Wildcard also announced that ARK: Survival Evolved has sold more than 1 million copies since it was launched in December 2015 for Xbox One, through the console’s Game Preview program. 

“We never anticipated adding modding, local multiplayer, split screen, or numerous other upcoming features. The game at launch will be far more robust than originally conceived, but it takes a little extra time to wrap it all up.” said Rapczak in a press release issued Friday.

ARK: Survival Evolved is set for a major new update from Studio Wildcard on PC and Xbox One, while fans on PS4 are set to reap the rewards from their console advantage. Credit: Express
ARK: Survival Evolved is set for a major new update from Studio Wildcard on PC and Xbox One, while fans on PS4 are set to reap the rewards from their console advantage. Credit: Express

On the other hand, the game developer has sold almost 4 million copies on Windows. A full release is expected for all platforms, in the coming months. Jesse Rapczak, co-founder and co-creative director at Studio Wildcard said that ARK’s success has increased content goals.

At the same time, Early Access players have provided useful feedback that has been considered by the developer. For instance, when the game was first announced, designers presented 70 dinos. Currently there are more than 100 dinos available, said Rapczak.

New maps are full of “wonders to explore and secrets to find”  

The Center map was drawn by hand and developed by Ben Burkart, “without auto-generated content”. According to a Wildcard statement, it adds over-the-top fantasy content that will double the size of the current game. It also offers new biomes, dungeons, floating islands, waterfalls, massive ancient ruins and “other wonders to explore and secrets to find”.

The same map will be freely available for Xbox One and PC users. The second map, Primitive Plus, will challenge players to use only wood and stone instead of metals, to create weapons. It will published in summer as a “functionality mod” on all ARK maps.

ARK: Survival of the Fittest will arrive to PlayStation 4 (PS4) in summer

The title that was released a month ago for PC, is coming to PS4 on July 19, said PlayStation in a statement published Friday. It will include a Multiplayer Online Survival Arena (MOSA) where ancient humans, dinosaurs and agrarian weapons converge.

“Tame dinosaurs, craft armor, forge weapons, harvest resources, build bases, make friends, and slaughter some “Bobs” (ARK’s term for newcomers), in what is one of the deepest combat arenas to ever hit PlayStation.” said Kayd Hendricks, senior technical/gameplay designer at PlayStation.

This is the first time ever that a MOSA is coming to PlayStation, said the Japanese brand. The game will offer splitscreen, local LAN play and offline modes for practicing new abilities. Moreover, players will be able to enter The Survivor League, where the best tribes will receive cash prizes every month.

Source: Gama Sutra (press release)