Update: A Studio Wildcard spokesperson has confirmed to us there'll be no upgrade path for existing owners of ARK: Survival Evolved to ARK: Survival Ascended. "ARK: Survival Ascended is designed for next-generation consoles and does not have an upgrade path available," we were informed.
Original Article: ARK: Survival Evolved will be shutdown in August on PS4, and support will transition to a remastered PS5 version named ARK: Survival Ascended, all as part of a complicated roadmap for the dino survival series. The re-release will run on Unreal Engine 5, and will include content like The Island and Survival of the Fittest, but bizarrely it doesn’t look like there’ll be an upgrade path for existing owners. It means the new version will set you back $39.99, even if you’re a long-time player of the original.
In fact, the whole pricing model is a bit of a mess. As you may already be aware, sequel ARK II looks like it’s going to be a console exclusive on Xbox Series X|S, so developer Studio Wildcard is offering a bundle on Microsoft’s machine which includes both ARK: Survival Ascended and its sequel for $49.99. While PS5 owners will pay $10 less overall, it’s probably a better deal to get the sequel included as well. Although that’s been delayed now, until 2024.
Expansion packs will also be sold separately for the remastered version, so the Explorer’s Pass including Scorched Earth, Aberration, and Extinction will cost $19.99. You’ll then need to pod out another $19.99 for the Genesis Pass, including both parts of the Genesis storyline. Again, there’s absolutely no word on these being offered at a reduced rate for people who already bought them on the PS4. We’ll check with the developer.
To its credit, the remaster is promising some pretty meat improvements, like dynamic weather, interactive foliage, and cross-platform mulitplayer. The studio’s also bundling in a bunch of gameplay and user interface improvements as well. It sounds good, but we’re struggling with the idea of the developer shutting down the original version of the game and then asking fans to rebuy it for a new console. That doesn’t sit right with us at all!
Comments 23
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Shutting an online game down with just a few months notice and then seemingly offering no upgrade path to the new version is a disgrace.
I was a pretty big Ark fan but if they aren't going to offer an upgrade path (besides abandoning us to Microsoft) I won't be supporting them any longer.
Not exactly a Win (Diesel) for the customer.
I was excited for all the Unreal Engine 5 rumours and was planning to replay it again with my girlfriend (Hoping they also get rid of the tether!) But I think I'll give it a miss now that we'd have to buy two copies again.
Pretty sure Ark2 is a console launch exclusive meaning it'll come to PS5 a year later or 6 months after. If PS5 did this it would be heavily criticised. Power Wash Simulator is fine, High on Life is fine, Ark2 is fine, Tunic is fine, Vampire Survivors is fine.......the list goes on but as soon as PS do it, it's a different story. Hypocrisy at its most finest
@Beerheadgamer82 'we are microsoft we are the good guys, sony the bad guys'- phil spencer
Sounds like a giant con plus knowing the Devs it will a broken buggy mess for months or years or just forever.
@Beerheadgamer82 Yeah its tiring hearing the hypocrisy from both MS and the fanboys, they are no better then Sony but at least Sony doesn't act they're above it.
Well that's obnoxious... I have the game and two of the expansion passes. So I basically have to buy it all again and meanwhile we're not even getting the sequel... I think I'll pass.
Updated with statement confirming no upgrade.
I never bought the game on PS4 but had considered it. Leaving your fans in the dust is not good. I won't bother supporting them.
I got this with PS+ - not tried it yet. Is there a single player element or is it all online? I’m expecting not, but you never know …
Live disservice games. Blech!
no one should do paid for timed exclusivity not Sony not Microsoft its a disgusting practice that both parties should stop
@EhronLocke Sony wouldn’t be under microscope if they weren’t causing a legal headache for Microsoft. If everything had been a smooth transition with Activision-Blizzard then no one would be bemoaning any console exclusives.
@EhronLocke That dramatically changed the focus of your argument… Game developers will always be under the microscope from entitled fanboys regardless of them being Nintendo, Sony, or Microsoft.
Clowns behind the keyboard of this company. Kicking loyal customers in the seeds is not a smart play. Ark 2 is headed for the discount shelf soon after launch.
I've played this game for years and I'm not surprised. They keep trying to release new paid content yet won't fix bugs that have existed for years. They don't actually care about the game, just trying to make money.
They already released a PS5 upgrade patch which unsurprisingly didn't have everything. A notable absence is the ability to alter the tether limit between host and joinee when the PS5 is hosting a multiplayer session. Something that already exists on the PC version and once did on PS4 before they randomly removed it.
Well, that’s total BS.
“meat improvements”
yum!
Insanely unfortunate news abound with this announcement. I understand that the "ascended" version will be heavily upgraded seemingly, but a sudden shutdown of servers and offering squat for longtime players is not any way to handle it.
That being said, now I won't bother waiting for this to release to make a new server to play with my wife, so at least I'm no longer indecisive on that.
Good thing I never bought the first game, but I do agree with everyone else.
Complete BS that there's not even a paid upgrade path. We should speak with our wallets and wait for a deep discount on the re-release.
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