Michelle Yeoh Stars in Ark: Survival Ascended Expansion, Leads to Ark 2

The highly anticipated dinosaur survival game, Ark 2, which had been the subject of speculation regarding its development status, is now confirmed to be actively in the works. This reassuring news comes from developer Studio Wildcard, who have unveiled a new expansion for Ark: Survival Ascended titled Ark: Lost Colony, setting the stage for the sequel.

Ark: Lost Colony marks the first original expansion for the Ark 1 remake, Ark: Survival Ascended. The expansion's 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 actress Michelle Yeoh, who reprises her role as Mei Yin from Ark: The Animated Series.

Studio Wildcard promises that Ark: Lost Colony will include numerous high-quality anime story sequences produced by Mappa. Here is 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 release, Ark: Lost Colony "directly connects" the narratives of the Extinction and Genesis expansions, paving the way for the events of Ark 2.

Ark 2, powered by Unreal Engine 5, is the sequel to the massively successful Ark: Survival Evolved. Initially announced with a surprise cameo by Vin Diesel at The Game Awards 2020 and slated for a 2022 release, it faced multiple delays, first to 2023, and then again to late 2024. The game is set to be 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 reassurances in December 2023 of a late 2024 release, the game did not meet this deadline, raising concerns among fans. The announcement of Ark: Lost Colony in early 2025 reaffirms that Ark 2 is still on the development roadmap, though no new release window was provided.

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