Ark: Survival Ascended was mired in controversy when it launched in 2023, as Studio Wildcard shut down the original game's servers to pave the way for this ground-up reimagining. Mixed with the usual UE5 optimization issues and server instability, it's no wonder the game currently sits on 'mixed' reviews. But if you've been on the fence about giving the remake a try, now's the perfect time, as it's available now for free on Steam until July 13th at 10am PT.
Ark: Survival Ascended hit a 24-hour peak of 41,000 players this weekend.
Progress made during the free period will increase if you purchase the game, if you do Find yourself enjoying Survival Ascended, picking up right where you left off. However if you want to make the most of that free period, you'll want to download the game as soon as possible, as it takes up more than 200GB – another pain point among players. Otherwise, the remake is available for $11.24 through July 23 at its biggest sale.
The original game is also on sale
If you've never played an Ark game before, imagine waking up completely naked on a desert island where you have to punch trees to survive, but the ultimate goal is to ride a T. Rex into battle with an energy rifle in hand. Basically, it's rust with dinosaurs. The core loop revolves around finding blueprints and climbing the technology tree, progressing from stone spears and thatch huts to lightning, guns and turrets.
The remake is built entirely on Unreal Engine 5, with an overhauled building system and cross-platform modding, but Studio Wildcard used it as a vehicle to introduce paid mods. Yet another controversial feature has been added to the remake. It's not all bad though. The game also introduced wild baby dinosaurs, which are much easier to control, and some new quality-of-life additions, such as item tracking and a ping system.
Yes, many fans will still steer you away from playing Survival Ascended, but the free weekend is the perfect opportunity to test the Arc waters risk-free. And if you enjoy the experience, you can always return to Survival Evolved – the original game is available for $9.89 until July 23. The official servers were shut down permanently in 2023, but the game is still going strong.
- issued
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October 26, 2023
- ESRB
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Blood, crude humor, game experience may change during online play, use of alcohol, violence T For Teens
- developer(s)
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Studio Wildcard
- publisher(s)
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Studio Wildcard
