Fans of the dinosaur survival game Ark 2 can breathe a sigh of relief, as developer Studio Wildcard has announced a new expansion for Ark: Survival Ascended, signaling that the sequel is still on track. The expansion, titled Ark: Lost Colony, marks the first original expansion pack for the Ark 1 remake, and its reveal trailer was crafted by the renowned anime studio Mappa, known for works such as Jujutsu Kaisen, Attack on Titan, and Chainsaw Man. The trailer features voiceover work by the acclaimed actress Michelle Yeoh, who reprises her role as Mei Yin from Ark: The Animated Series.

Studio Wildcard has promised 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?

Studio Wildcard emphasized that Ark: Lost Colony “directly connects” the storylines of Ark’s Extinction and Genesis expansions, paving the way for the events of Ark 2. This highly anticipated sequel, powered by Unreal Engine 5, was initially unveiled with a surprise appearance by Vin Diesel at The Game Awards 2020, slated for a 2022 release. However, it faced multiple delays, first to 2023 and then to late 2024, positioning it 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 insistence in December 2023 that Ark 2 was still on schedule for a late 2024 release, the game did not meet this deadline, causing concern among fans. The recent announcement of Ark: Lost Colony in March 2025, though lacking an updated release window for Ark 2, serves as a reassurance that the project remains active.

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