"Michelle Yeoh Stars in Ark: Survival Ascended's Lost Colony, Prelude to Ark 2"

The much-anticipated dinosaur survival game, Ark 2, which had sparked concerns of being shelved, is back in the spotlight following a new announcement from developer Studio Wildcard. The studio unveiled Ark: Lost Colony, the first original expansion pack for the Ark: Survival Ascended remake of the original game, signaling that development on the sequel is still actively progressing.

The reveal trailer for Ark: Lost Colony was crafted by the renowned anime studio Mappa, known for their work on series like Jujutsu Kaisen, Attack on Titan, and Chainsaw Man. Adding to the excitement, the trailer features voiceover work by Michelle Yeoh, who returns to her role as Mei Yin from Ark: The Animated Series.

Studio Wildcard promises that Ark: Lost Colony will include numerous cinema-grade anime story sequences created by Mappa. According to 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?

In their press release, Studio Wildcard emphasized that Ark: Lost Colony "directly connects" the storylines of the Extinction and Genesis expansions of the original game, effectively bridging the narrative into the events of Ark 2.

Ark 2, powered by Unreal Engine 5 and sequel to the highly successful Ark: Survival Evolved, was initially unveiled with a surprise cameo by Vin Diesel at The Game Awards 2020, targeting a 2022 release. However, it faced multiple delays, first to 2023 and then to late 2024, where it was set to launch as 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 timeline, causing worry among fans. The announcement of Ark: Lost Colony in early 2025, though without an updated release window for Ark 2, helps to alleviate some of these concerns by confirming ongoing development.

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