This article is about the 2023 remaster for PC, Xbox Series and PS5. For the 2015 game on PC, Xbox One, PS4, and Nintendo Switch, see ARK: Survival Evolved. For the game on iOS and Android, see ARK: Survival Evolved Mobile.
ARK: Survival Ascended is an Unreal Engine 5 remastered version of the original ARK: Survival Evolved game. It was announced on March 31, 2023 on survivetheark.com,[4] and was released on October 25, 2023 as an early access title on Steam,[3] with DLC content to be released over time.
Respawn into a new dinosaur survival experience beyond your wildest dreams… as ARK is reimagined from the ground-up into the next-generation of videogame technology with Unreal Engine 5! You awake on a mysterious island, your senses overwhelmed by the blinding sunlight and brilliant colors bouncing off every surface around you, the azure waters of a verdant Island lapping at your bare feet. A deep roar echoes from the misty jungle, jolting you into action, and you stand up – not afraid, but intrigued. Are you ready to form a tribe, tame and breed hundreds of species of dinosaurs and other primeval creatures, explore, craft, build, and fight your way to the top of the food-chain? Your new world awaits... step through the looking-glass and join it!
„
~ Steam Description
Features
Unreal Engine 5 overhaul with Nanite, Lumen, and NVIDIA's RTXDI
Cross-platform multiplayer
Cross-platform modding
New content
Dynamic water using FluidNinja
Interactive foliage
Cutscenes
Unreal Engine 5 performance gains: instanced rendering (higher performance when drawing large bases), threaded server networking, and UE's custom physics engine
Dynamic navigation mesh and creature path-finding overhaul
Cross-platform anti-cheat
Updated mini-map (pan, zoom, pings, etc – similar to the TSotF mini-map)
Queueing system
New third-person camera (with the option to opt out)
Directional sprinting and walking
Ping system
Gamepad cursor
Chibi slot and skins tab
Nvidia DLSS Support
Photo Mode
Dino/baby management QoL
Wild babies
Snap point improvements (new snaps, logic improvements)
Better map, now showing coordinates and allows to zoom in and out.
Better dino tracker, allowing to track tamed creatures and see its location on the map.
Configurable third-person camera distance by holding Left Alt.
Quick-inventory feature by holding Q, allowing the player to navigate around all its inventory on his hotbar, use 9 and 0 to navigate.
Quick-transfer between inventory and hotbar by clicking the slot number on the keyboard when selecting a valid item from the inventory, it will instantly transfer to that hotbar slot.
Quick access to the shoulder pet's inventory that the player is carrying on his shoulder by holding R.
When holding items that use ammo, such as the Longneck Rifle and Crossbow, R can be held down in order to display a radial wheel that allows you to change between different ammo. This also allows the player to craft ammo from this menu clicking on the ammo.
Structures
Complete construction rework.
Improved the process of picking up and demolishing structures, picking up or demolishing all the structures that last one had supported.
Decreased the number of construction engrams, allowing the player to modify, for example, a wall to be a door frame.
Electrical Generator no longer require cables, instead wirelessly powering any electric or gasoline-dependent appliance within a certain radius.
Any Appliance that previously required Gasoline, such as the Fabricator, may also be powered by the generator.
Tree Sap Tap now produces Sap respecting the server stack multiplier (30 by default).
Irrigation now only requires an intake pipe, wirelessly irrigating within a fixed radius, which can be extended to a certain area by placing a reservoir.
Because Movement Speed is no longer improvable by levelling the stat, all creatures do not increase the speed stat neither wild nor tamed.
Occasionally, wild babies may be found with their respective parents, and may be claimed by slaying or taming the parents.
Ragdoll physics rework, they are now rebalanced and more improved especially for killing, which are implemented by using low gravity state and restrained body fracture that the creature will slowly collapsed through the ground.
Dung Beetle rework, now it auto-collects Feces that it has in range.
Jerboa is no longer capped to spawn at level 1, spawning now as a normal creature.
Morellatops adjustment, now it has a Water stat to improve its water storage capacity, also it can water crops.
Onyc has a new land mechanic and their corresponding animations.
Oviraptor rework, now it auto-collects Eggs that it has in range.
Pegomastax now have a toggleable ability to automatically pick up Gacha Crystals in a radius that scales with its level.
Phoenix has a new land mechanic and their corresponding animations, also it can spawn with more color variations, including: orange, red, blue, green, and pink.
Significant Increase in natural color palette variation of different mapped areas in creatures.
New Additions
New creatures
Each remastered DLC map will be brought back with brand new creatures to be found and tamed in the landscape. a free community-chosen creature and a paid creature from the Adventure Packs or Fantastic Tames of each DLC map. Additionally, ten creatures from the mod Additions Ascended, will be added to the base game.
On December 5th, 2023's experimental patch 32.4, a Public Test Realm (PTR) was launched. It allows players to try work-in-progress future updates to the game, allowing issues to be reported in advance before reaching the live game. These versions may be less stable than the live builds, and as a result it is recommended to back up any savefiles before using them with the PTR version.
Roadmap
The Roadmap of the different Maps for ASA Goes as Follows (May Change with Future Roadmaps):
Fjordur - December 2026[9], Original Roadmap date October 2025[12]
Crystal Isles - coming later, meaning after all other maps[13], Original Roadmap date April 2025[12]
Lost Island - coming later, meaning after all other maps[13], Original Roadmap date August 2025[12]
Club ARK
Club ARK, is a social hub where survivors can chat, relax, and have fun in a variety of activities, mini-games, and missions to earn prizes to take back "home" with you. Club ARK can be joined from the in-game Pause Menu on the Official Network at any time. ‘Custom Cosmetic’ mods – including costumes, items, and even functional structures – will be automatically downloaded in the background while you play. This is a toggleable option.
DLC
DLC Maps
Story Maps
Lost Colony PAID
Mod Maps
Astraeos PAID
Bob's Tall Tales
Bob's Tall Tales is an optional paid season pass with optional paid "Adventure Packs" with new cosmetics, creatures, building items, weapons, and more for story maps (excluding the Island). It also has animated Explorer Notes with the voices of Karl Urban and Auliʻi Cravalho.
On March 31st 2023, Wildcard officially announced the successive UE5 Remaster to ARK: Survival Evolved, expected to replace its predecessor upon release. Initially believed by some to be an "April Fools" reference, the original "ARK: Respawned" bundle was to be priced at $60, packaging ARK 2 along with the remaster. This was met with heavy controversy from the community. In response to this, Wildcard instead decided to release ARK: Survival Ascended as a standalone game at $60 with all existing ASE DLC included.
Upon the reveal of the new revised roadmap from the original as well as the confirmation of ASA being an early access title, the price of ASA was subsequently reduced to $45, as well as being delayed from the original August 2023 Date. Instead, it launched without Scorched Earth, Survival of the Fittest, or any other on-launch additions as suggested by the revised roadmap.
Notes
Nitrado has been chosen as an exclusive commercial server host.[14]
At launch, the server license permitted only non-commercial, personal use, required a valid Steam game license, and allowed only one server to be hosted on a single machine at a time. This license has been replaced.
Current dedicated server license only permits non-commercial, personal use, with remaining clauses removed.
As of launch, the game appears to be extremely intensive, often requiring console commands to reach playable framerates on medium end hardware.
The game was originally scheduled to launch in August 2023 with Survival of the Fittest and Scorched Earth being available at launch, but was later delayed to October 2023.
The game was originally scheduled to launch simultaneously on all platforms, however the console releases were delayed. The Xbox Series S and X release was delayed until November 14th, 2023. It was then delayed for a second time and released on November 21st, 2023. The Playstation 5 release came on November 30th, 2023.
The game launched on Steam with a limited early access price cut that was promised to also come to the console releases. However, this never happened and has not been mentioned since.
After the Original Delay, the game was scheduled to launch in October 2023 Without any on-launch Additions as on par with the stated roadmap, but the game’s DLC Content has since been delayed again in December 2023 with a new Roadmap With The Base Game and SOTF Being unaffected by this.
Bob's Tall Tales
Movement Speed Status has been removed from official servers, but may be enabled elsewhere.
Supply Crates loot table rework.
Carcharodontosaurus and 
Rhyniognatha dossiers now are on The Island map.
Longneck Rifle and 
Crossbow, R can be held down in order to display a radial wheel that allows you to change between different ammo. This also allows the player to craft ammo from this menu clicking 
on the ammo.
Electrical Generator no longer require cables, instead wirelessly powering any electric or gasoline-dependent appliance within a certain radius.
Gasoline, such as the 
Fabricator, may also be powered by the generator.
Tek Generator now gives power to the 
Tek Replicator.
Tek Dedicated Storages nearby.
Chemistry Bench now only requires electricity.
Tree Sap Tap now produces 
Sap respecting the server stack multiplier (30 by default).
Stone Fireplace now can cook meat.
Toilet now spoils all meat inside its inventory whenever a player flushes.
Seeds now have a spoil timer equivalent to their respective berry.
GPS, 
Compass and 
Transponder Node removed, replaced with the upgraded map and dino tracking features.
Torch now can be placed on the belt height of the player.
Electronic Binoculars rework, now they're called 
Basilisk and 
Karkinos are now breedable.
Dung Beetle rework, now it auto-collects 
Feces that it has in range.
Jerboa is no longer capped to spawn at level 1, spawning now as a normal creature.
Morellatops adjustment, now it has a 
Water stat to improve its water storage capacity, also it can water crops.
Onyc has a new land mechanic and their corresponding animations.
Oviraptor rework, now it auto-collects 
Eggs that it has in range.
Pegomastax now have a toggleable ability to automatically pick up 
Gacha Crystals in a radius that scales with its level.
Phoenix has a new land mechanic and their corresponding animations, also it can spawn with more color variations, including: orange, red, blue, green, and pink.
Reaper King will now scale with player levels.
Archelon
Armadoggo
Ceratosaurus
Cosmo
Deinosuchus
Dreadmare
Dreadnoughtus
Fasolasuchus
Gigantoraptor
Maeguana
Oasisaur
Pyromane
Shastasaurus
Sir-5rM8
Xiphactinus
Yi Ling
Algae Sushi
Archelon Algae
Archelon Egg
Basilisk Egg
Ceratosaurus Egg
Cianberry
Cianberry Seed
Cosmo Egg
Deinosuchus Egg
Fasolasuchus Egg
Gigantoraptor Egg
Hemogoblin Cocktail
Magenberry
Magenberry Seed
Verdberry
Verdberry Seed
Xiphactinus Egg
Yi Ling Egg
Dark Altar
Decor Box
Display Case
Medium Tek Teleporter
Small Tek Teleporter
Tek Behemoth Cellar Door
Tek Large Cellar Door
Archelon Saddle
Ceratosaurus Saddle
Deinosuchus Saddle
Dreadnoughtus Platform Saddle
Fasolasuchus Saddle
Gigantoraptor Saddle
Shastasaurus Submarine Saddle
Xiphactinus Saddle
Yi Ling Saddle
Desert Ghillie Boots Skin
Desert Ghillie Chestpiece Skin
Desert Ghillie Gauntlets Skin
Desert Ghillie Helmet Skin
Desert Ghillie Leggings Skin
In-Game screenshot (Photo Mode)
Gigantoraptor
Fasolasuchus
Oasisaur + Frontier Showdown
Ceratosaurus
Xiphactinus
Shastasaurus
Pyromane
Deinosuchus
Yi Ling
Cosmo
Sir-5rM8
Archelon
Dreadmare
Dreadnoughtus
Armadoggo
Battlerigs
Maeguana
Deinotherium
Cat
Bison (Female)
Bison (Male)
Griffin
