Ark remaster delayed, now early access, but cheaper

pcgamesn.com:

Ark Survival Ascended is delayed into October, as developer Studio Wildcard announces that the Unreal Engine 5 Ark remaster for the beloved dino survival game will now launch in early access. Ark Survival Ascended will also be broken up into parts, with The Island releasing first, Scorched Earth set for December, and the other maps arriving at a later date in 2024.

“With what we’ve learned about remastering The Island from the ground-up, it wouldn’t be feasible to complete Scorched Earth to a standard we’re happy with,” Studio Wildcard announces on its blog. “We had initially planned to ship with more content on day one, but that won’t be happening.” As such, the team is also slightly lowering the game’s launch price point to $45 (down from $60), with an extra discount for those who pick it up at release.

The remaster was initially announced as a way for the team to familiarize itself with Unreal Engine 5 development before Ark 2. It was then reframed slightly, with the team responding to negative feedback by instead bundling all the expansions into one package, which would be priced at the aforementioned $60.

Now, with the delay from August to October, you’ll get the package for $45, or a discounted $40 if you buy in when the game releases in early access. However, as mentioned above, you’ll just get access to The Island initially – Studio Wildcard’s current plan is “that Scorched Earth will be coming to ASA in December this year, Ragnarok and Aberration will follow in Q1 2024, and the rest of the maps beyond then.”

All of this still appears to have rankled the ire of the game’s normally dedicated playerbase, who have devolved from its initial disappointment and anger that the remaster, which was initially expected to