Michelle Yeoh Stars in Ark: Survival Ascended Expansion, Sets Stage for Ark 2

The eagerly awaited dinosaur survival game, Ark 2, has sparked renewed excitement after developer Studio Wildcard unveiled a new expansion for the Ark: Survival Ascended remake, titled Ark: Lost Colony. This expansion not only breathes new life into the franchise but also serves as a bridge to the much-anticipated sequel, Ark 2.

Ark: Lost Colony marks the first original expansion for Ark: Survival Ascended, and its reveal trailer, crafted by the renowned anime studio Mappa (known for works like Jujutsu Kaisen, Attack on Titan, and Chainsaw Man), features the voice talents of Michelle Yeoh. She reprises her role as Mei Yin, a character fans will recognize from Ark: The Animated Series.

Studio Wildcard has promised that Ark: Lost Colony will include numerous cinema-grade anime story sequences, immersing players in a new frozen world. Here's a glimpse of what to expect, as per 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, Ark: Lost Colony "directly connects" the narratives of the Ark expansions Extinction and Genesis, seamlessly leading into the events of Ark 2.

Ark 2, the sequel to the widely successful Ark: Survival Evolved, utilizes Unreal Engine 5 for its development. Initially unveiled with a surprise appearance by Vin Diesel at The Game Awards 2020, the game was slated for a 2022 release. However, it faced delays, first to 2023 and then again to late 2024, planned as an Xbox Series X and S console exclusive with day-one availability on Game Pass and on PC via Steam and Windows.

Despite Studio Wildcard's reassurances as recently as December 2023 that Ark 2 was on track for a late 2024 release, the deadline passed without a launch, raising concerns among fans. The announcement of Ark: Lost Colony in early 2025, however, reassures the community that Ark 2 remains in development, though no updated release window was provided.

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