Ark 2, the highly anticipated sequel to the dinosaur survival behemoth Ark: Survival Evolved, is still roaring towards a late 2024 release. This is despite recent delays and less-than-stellar releases. Snail Games CEO Jim Tsai confirmed this at the NobleCon19 business conference while simultaneously dropping a bombshell announcement: yearly Ark 2 DLC is planned all the way through 2029.
According to IGN, Tsai said we’ll see content for Ark 2 in the form of annual DLC releases until 2029. This is planned, at least, but that direction may change. This ambitious roadmap paints a vibrant future for the dino-taming franchise, but there are some immediate hurdles to navigate. Ark Survival Ascended, the recent remake of the original game, launched with a bang but quickly stumbled under the weight of performance issues.
Studio Wildcard, Ark 2‘s developer, is fixing these problems but is facing the community’s understandable skepticism after a history of delayed release dates. Tsai, undeterred, is painting Ark 2 as the company’s “next masterpiece,” a title it aims to earn through innovative gameplay and expanding the franchise’s reach beyond the realm of video games.
Ark: The Animated Series is set to land in 2024, with whispers of free-to-play mobile titles and even esports ventures dancing on the horizon. This transmedia push reflects Snail Games’ desire to transform Ark into a pop culture titan, a strategy that could both bolster Ark 2’s success and fuel its planned annual DLC releases.
Still, being a pop culture icon doesn’t automatically mean you’ll have a good or successful game. You can look at Marvel’s Avengers to see how good a name does you when the game isn’t good. DLCs can make a difference, but their price will determine how helpful they are to the series. We’ll have to wait and see, but I read that the CEO also said there wouldn’t be another delay for Ark 2, so things may be looking up.
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