<s>
Ark	B-Application
:	I-Application
Survival	I-Application
Evolved	I-Application
(	O
stylized	O
as	O
ARK	O
)	O
is	O
a	O
2015	O
action-adventure	O
survival	B-Application
video	I-Application
game	I-Application
developed	O
by	O
Studio	O
Wildcard	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Players	O
can	O
use	O
firearms	B-Application
and	O
improvised	O
weapons	O
to	O
defend	O
against	O
hostile	O
humans	O
and	O
creatures	O
,	O
with	O
the	O
ability	O
to	O
build	O
bases	O
as	O
a	O
defense	O
on	O
the	O
ground	O
and	O
on	O
some	O
creatures	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Instinct	B-Application
Games	I-Application
,	O
Efecto	O
Studios	O
,	O
and	O
Virtual	B-Application
Basement	I-Application
were	O
hired	O
to	O
facilitate	O
the	O
game	O
's	O
development	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
game	O
was	O
officially	O
released	O
in	O
August	O
2017	O
for	O
Linux	B-Application
,	O
macOS	B-Operating_System
,	O
PlayStation	B-Operating_System
4	I-Operating_System
,	O
Windows	O
,	O
and	O
Xbox	B-Device
One	I-Device
,	O
with	O
versions	O
for	O
Android	B-Application
,	O
iOS	B-Application
,	O
and	O
Nintendo	B-Application
Switch	I-Application
in	O
2018	O
,	O
a	O
version	O
for	O
Stadia	B-Application
in	O
2021	O
,	O
and	O
a	O
second	O
,	O
separate	O
Nintendo	B-Application
Switch	I-Application
version	O
in	O
2022	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Ark	B-Application
:	I-Application
Survival	I-Application
Evolved	I-Application
received	O
generally	O
mixed	O
reviews	O
,	O
with	O
criticism	O
for	O
its	O
"	O
punishing	O
"	O
difficulty	O
,	O
reliance	O
on	O
grinding	B-Application
,	O
and	O
performance	O
issues	O
,	O
particularly	O
on	O
the	O
original	O
Nintendo	B-Application
Switch	I-Application
version	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Several	O
expansions	O
to	O
the	O
game	O
have	O
been	O
released	O
as	O
downloadable	B-Protocol
content	I-Protocol
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
game	O
received	O
two	O
spin-off	O
games	O
in	O
March	O
2018	O
—	O
virtual	B-Application
reality	I-Application
game	O
Ark	B-Application
Park	I-Application
and	O
sandbox	O
survival	B-Application
game	I-Application
PixArk	B-Application
—	O
and	O
two	O
companion	O
apps	O
:	O
A-Calc	O
in	O
October	O
2015	O
,	O
and	O
Dododex	O
in	O
August	O
2017	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Ark	B-Application
:	I-Application
Survival	I-Application
Evolved	I-Application
is	O
an	O
action-adventure	O
survival	B-Application
game	I-Application
set	O
in	O
an	O
open	O
world	O
environment	O
with	O
a	O
dynamic	O
day-night	O
cycle	O
and	O
played	O
either	O
from	O
a	O
third-person	O
or	O
first-person	O
perspective	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
In	O
the	O
early	O
versions	O
of	O
the	O
game	O
,	O
nearly	O
all	O
creatures	O
were	O
real	O
dinosaurs	O
and	O
other	O
prehistoric	O
creatures	O
,	O
however	O
,	O
as	O
the	O
storyline	O
progressed	O
,	O
mythical	O
creatures	O
such	O
as	O
the	O
wyvern	B-Language
,	O
griffin	O
,	O
golem	B-Application
,	O
and	O
phoenix	O
were	O
added	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
As	O
of	O
June	O
2022	O
,	O
the	O
maximum	O
player	O
level	O
is	O
105	O
,	O
an	O
additional	O
60	O
levels	O
to	O
be	O
gained	O
by	O
defeating	O
end-game	O
bosses	O
,	O
5	O
acquired	O
by	O
leveling	O
up	O
a	O
chibi	O
(	O
cosmetic	O
pet	O
obtained	O
through	O
an	O
in-game	O
event	O
)	O
,	O
and	O
10	O
extra	O
levels	O
through	O
obtaining	O
all	O
of	O
the	O
explorer	O
notes	O
throughout	O
the	O
base	O
game	O
and	O
all	O
the	O
DLC	B-Protocol
and	O
10	O
extra	O
levels	O
by	O
getting	O
all	O
the	O
runes	O
found	O
on	O
the	O
custom	O
ark	O
Fjordur.Tamed	O
creatures	O
can	O
also	O
gain	O
experience	O
and	O
level	O
points	O
,	O
which	O
can	O
be	O
spent	O
on	O
similar	O
stats	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
There	O
are	O
specific	O
varieties	O
of	O
creatures	O
,	O
for	O
instance	O
,	O
the	O
Rock	O
Drake	O
,	O
or	O
the	O
Wyvern	B-Language
variants	O
,	O
which	O
are	O
able	O
to	O
spawn	O
up	O
to	O
level	O
190	O
,	O
but	O
they	O
are	O
untameable	O
in	O
the	O
wild	O
,	O
and	O
instead	O
must	O
be	O
hatched	O
from	O
their	O
respective	O
egg	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Preliminary	O
work	O
on	O
Ark	B-Application
:	I-Application
Survival	I-Application
Evolved	I-Application
began	O
in	O
October	O
2014	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Studio	O
Wildcard	O
,	O
the	O
Seattle-based	O
team	O
behind	O
the	O
game	O
,	O
co-opted	O
Egypt-based	O
developer	O
Instinct	B-Application
Games	I-Application
to	O
facilitate	O
development	O
;	O
Efecto	O
Studios	O
and	O
Virtual	B-Application
Basement	I-Application
later	O
assisted	O
development	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
team	O
added	O
features	O
to	O
the	O
game	O
that	O
would	O
appeal	O
to	O
all	O
players	O
,	O
as	O
opposed	O
to	O
specific	O
players	O
of	O
the	O
survival	B-Application
genre	O
,	O
such	O
as	O
the	O
ability	O
to	O
simply	O
explore	O
the	O
island	O
and	O
compete	O
against	O
large	O
bosses	O
,	O
as	O
a	O
reward	O
for	O
uncovering	O
secrets	O
of	O
the	O
island	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
They	O
also	O
added	O
an	O
end-game	O
for	O
players	O
to	O
strive	O
towards	O
,	O
as	O
they	O
felt	O
that	O
most	O
survival	B-Application
games	I-Application
lack	O
a	O
final	O
goal	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
game	O
,	O
powered	O
by	O
Unreal	B-Operating_System
Engine	I-Operating_System
4	O
,	O
contains	O
"	O
tens	O
of	O
thousands	O
"	O
of	O
artificial	B-Application
intelligence	I-Application
entities	O
,	O
according	O
to	O
Rapczak	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
It	O
also	O
features	O
support	O
for	O
virtual	B-Application
reality	I-Application
(	O
VR	O
)	O
gameplay	O
;	O
Rapczak	O
,	O
who	O
has	O
almost	O
three	O
years	O
of	O
experience	O
with	O
head-mounted	B-General_Concept
displays	I-General_Concept
,	O
described	O
the	O
game	O
as	O
being	O
designed	O
with	O
VR	O
in	O
mind	O
from	O
the	O
beginning	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
game	O
was	O
initially	O
released	O
through	O
Steam	B-Application
Early	O
Access	O
for	O
Microsoft	B-Application
Windows	I-Application
on	O
June	O
2	O
,	O
2015	O
,	O
shortly	O
before	O
the	O
theatrical	O
release	O
of	O
Jurassic	O
World	O
later	O
that	O
month	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
game	O
subsequently	O
received	O
an	O
Early	O
Access	O
release	O
for	O
Linux	B-Application
and	O
OS	B-Operating_System
X	I-Operating_System
on	O
July	O
1	O
,	O
2015	O
,	O
and	O
through	O
the	O
Xbox	B-Device
Game	O
Preview	O
Program	O
for	O
Xbox	B-Device
One	I-Device
on	O
December	O
16	O
,	O
2015	O
;	O
Initially	O
Sony	O
was	O
not	O
going	O
to	O
allow	O
a	O
PlayStation	B-Operating_System
4	I-Operating_System
release	O
due	O
to	O
the	O
lack	O
of	O
any	O
type	O
of	O
early	O
access	O
program	O
on	O
the	O
console	O
,	O
however	O
a	O
PS4	B-Operating_System
version	O
was	O
eventually	O
released	O
on	O
December	O
6	O
,	O
2016	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
final	O
game	O
launched	O
on	O
August	O
29	O
,	O
2017	O
,	O
for	O
Microsoft	B-Application
Windows	I-Application
,	O
PlayStation	B-Operating_System
4	I-Operating_System
,	O
and	O
Xbox	B-Device
One	I-Device
;	O
it	O
was	O
originally	O
intended	O
for	O
release	O
in	O
June	O
2016	O
,	O
but	O
was	O
delayed	O
in	O
April	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
game	O
launched	O
with	O
support	O
for	O
Oculus	B-Device
Rift	I-Device
and	O
PlayStation	B-Device
VR	I-Device
,	O
and	O
the	B-Device
Xbox	I-Device
One	I-Device
version	O
was	O
released	O
via	O
the	O
ID	B-Device
@Xbox	I-Device
program	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Android	B-Application
and	O
iOS	B-Application
versions	O
were	O
released	O
on	O
June	O
14	O
,	O
2018	O
,	O
and	O
a	O
Nintendo	B-Application
Switch	I-Application
version	O
was	O
released	O
on	O
November	O
30	O
,	O
2018	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
A	O
Stadia	B-Application
version	O
was	O
announced	O
by	O
Google	B-Application
in	O
October	O
2020	O
,	O
originally	O
scheduled	O
for	O
release	O
in	O
early	O
2021	O
;	O
it	O
was	O
released	O
on	O
September	O
1	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
An	O
enhanced	O
version	O
of	O
the	O
game	O
will	O
be	O
accessible	O
on	O
Xbox	B-Device
Series	I-Device
X	I-Device
and	I-Device
Series	I-Device
S	I-Device
,	O
featuring	O
increased	O
details	O
,	O
resolution	O
,	O
and	O
draw	O
distance	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Following	O
the	O
poor	O
reception	O
of	O
the	O
original	O
Nintendo	B-Application
Switch	I-Application
release	O
,	O
Ark	B-Application
:	I-Application
Ultimate	I-Application
Survivor	I-Application
Edition	I-Application
was	O
announced	O
as	O
a	O
new	O
port	O
rebuilt	O
from	O
the	O
ground	O
up	O
,	O
developed	O
by	O
Grove	O
Street	O
Games	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
A	O
free	O
upgrade	O
is	O
available	O
for	O
existing	O
owners	O
of	O
the	O
Nintendo	B-Application
Switch	I-Application
version	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
On	O
April	O
1	O
,	O
2023	O
,	O
Studio	O
Wildcard	O
announced	O
a	O
remaster	O
titled	O
Survival	B-Application
Ascended	O
to	O
be	O
released	O
in	O
August	O
2023	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Survival	B-Application
Evolveds	I-Application
official	O
servers	O
will	O
be	O
shut	O
down	O
at	O
the	O
same	O
time	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
On	O
March	O
16	O
,	O
2016	O
,	O
the	O
Survival	B-Application
of	O
the	O
Fittest	O
game	O
mode	O
was	O
released	O
in	O
early	O
access	O
as	O
a	O
free	O
standalone	O
game	O
with	O
no	O
microtransactions	O
;	O
it	O
was	O
scheduled	O
to	O
fully	O
launch	O
in	O
mid	O
2016	O
,	O
but	O
was	O
eventually	O
merged	O
back	O
to	O
the	O
main	O
game	O
as	O
the	O
development	O
team	O
did	O
not	O
wish	O
to	O
monetize	O
on	O
its	O
release	O
,	O
and	O
wanted	O
to	O
ensure	O
that	O
modders	O
can	O
apply	O
the	O
development	O
kit	O
of	O
Survival	B-Application
Evolved	I-Application
to	O
create	O
mods	O
for	O
Survival	B-Application
of	O
the	O
Fittest	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Players	O
who	O
played	O
Survival	B-Application
of	O
the	O
Fittest	O
before	O
it	O
was	O
merged	O
back	O
into	O
the	O
main	O
game	O
can	O
continue	O
to	O
play	O
the	O
game	O
without	O
paying	O
an	O
extra	O
cost	O
,	O
while	O
new	O
players	O
must	O
pay	O
before	O
getting	O
access	O
to	O
it	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
In	O
late	O
December	O
2022	O
,	O
a	O
new	O
version	O
of	O
the	O
Survival	B-Application
of	O
the	O
Fittest	O
was	O
released	O
to	O
pc	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
On	O
September	O
1	O
,	O
2016	O
,	O
Studio	O
Wildcard	O
released	O
the	O
paid	O
downloadable	B-Protocol
content	I-Protocol
(	O
DLC	B-Protocol
)	O
Scorched	O
Earth	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
It	O
also	O
features	O
new	O
creatures	O
,	O
some	O
of	O
which	O
are	O
fictional	O
,	O
like	O
the	O
Wyvern	B-Language
and	O
the	O
Rock	O
Elemental	O
(	O
based	O
on	O
the	O
Golem	B-Application
)	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Some	O
of	O
the	O
new	O
creatures	O
are	O
not	O
tameable	O
,	O
such	O
as	O
the	O
Jug	O
Bug	O
,	O
a	O
fictional	O
grasshopper-like	O
insect	O
equipped	O
with	O
a	O
fluid-storing	O
pouch	O
on	O
its	O
back	O
that	O
stores	O
water	O
or	O
oil	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Scorched	O
Earth	O
has	O
three	O
unique	O
weather	O
patterns	O
:	O
Sandstorms	B-Application
radically	O
reduce	O
visibility	B-Application
and	O
drain	O
stamina	O
,	O
Superheat	O
will	O
drain	O
your	O
water	O
at	O
a	O
much	O
faster	O
rate	O
than	O
normal	O
heat	O
and	O
induce	O
Heat	O
Stroke	O
fairly	O
quickly	O
,	O
while	O
electrical	O
storms	O
will	O
temporarily	O
shut	O
down	O
electrical	O
devices	O
and	O
prevent	O
firearms	B-Application
(	O
and	O
Tek	O
Saddles	O
)	O
from	O
firing	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
release	O
of	O
paid	O
DLC	B-Protocol
for	O
a	O
game	O
still	O
in	O
early	O
access	O
caused	O
a	O
negative	O
reaction	O
among	O
players	O
of	O
the	O
game	O
,	O
resulting	O
in	O
many	O
negative	O
reviews	O
on	O
Steam	B-Application
right	O
after	O
the	O
expansion	O
launch	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
On	O
December	O
12	O
,	O
2017	O
,	O
the	O
paid	O
DLC	B-Protocol
Aberration	O
was	O
released	O
,	O
adding	O
a	O
new	O
underground/alien	O
-themed	O
map	O
and	O
15	O
new	O
alien/underground	O
themed	O
creatures	O
,	O
such	O
as	O
a	O
feathered	O
dragon	O
like	O
creature	O
known	O
as	O
a	O
Rock	O
Drake	O
,	O
which	O
is	O
capable	O
of	O
turning	O
itself	O
and	O
its	O
rider	O
invisible	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
On	O
November	O
6	O
,	O
2018	O
,	O
the	O
third	O
paid	O
DLC	B-Protocol
expansion	O
,	O
Extinction	O
was	O
published	O
by	O
Snail	O
Games	O
USA	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
DLC	B-Protocol
introduced	O
a	O
new	O
mechanic	O
to	O
the	O
game	O
:	O
PVE	O
events	O
in	O
which	O
the	O
player	O
must	O
defend	O
either	O
orbital	O
supply	O
drops	O
from	O
space	O
or	O
Element	O
mineral	O
veins	O
for	O
loot	O
,	O
resources	O
,	O
and	O
element	O
in	O
all	O
forms	O
respectively	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
Enforcer	O
;	O
a	O
robotic	O
lizard	O
that	O
is	O
capable	O
of	O
teleportation	B-General_Concept
and	O
dealing	O
4x	O
damage	O
to	O
corrupted	O
creatures	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
On	O
February	O
25	O
,	O
2020	O
,	O
the	O
fourth	O
paid	O
DLC	B-Protocol
expansion	O
,	O
Genesis	O
Part	O
1	O
was	O
published	O
by	O
Snail	O
Games	O
USA	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
This	O
includes	O
creatures	O
such	O
as	O
the	O
Magmasaur	O
,	O
a	O
bearded	O
dragon	O
fused	O
with	O
magma	B-General_Concept
that	O
can	O
use	O
fire-based	O
attacks	O
,	O
as	O
well	O
as	O
the	O
Ferox	O
,	O
a	O
four-armed	O
,	O
lemur-like	O
creature	O
that	O
transforms	O
into	O
a	O
larger	O
,	O
more	O
aggressive	O
version	O
of	O
itself	O
(	O
similar	O
to	O
a	O
werewolf	O
)	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
During	O
Genesis	O
Part	O
1	O
,	O
players	O
will	O
discover	O
the	O
story	O
with	O
a	O
new	O
AI	B-Application
like	O
companion	O
,	O
HLN-A	O
(	O
Helena	O
)	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
Genesis	O
DLC	B-Protocol
adds	O
new	O
missions	O
for	O
players	O
across	O
the	O
simulations	O
that	O
grants	O
graded	O
loots	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
fifth	O
and	O
final	O
paid	O
DLC	B-Protocol
expansion	O
,	O
Genesis	O
Part	O
2	O
was	O
teased	O
on	O
November	O
7	O
,	O
2020	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
ship	O
has	O
two	O
rings	O
;	O
on	O
the	O
right	O
side	O
is	O
a	O
regular	O
ring	O
filled	O
with	O
plateaus	O
,	O
mountains	O
,	O
rivers	O
,	O
and	O
waterfalls	O
,	O
providing	O
all	O
necessary	O
resources	O
needed	O
for	O
survival	B-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
expansion	O
features	O
six	O
new	O
tameable	O
creatures	O
,	O
such	O
as	O
the	O
Shadowmane	O
,	O
a	O
lion/lionfish	O
hybrid	O
that	O
can	O
teleport	O
and	O
can	O
turn	O
itself	O
invisible	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Ark	B-Application
:	I-Application
Survival	I-Application
Evolved	I-Application
received	O
"	O
mixed	O
or	O
average	O
"	O
reviews	O
for	O
the	O
Windows	O
,	O
PlayStation	B-Operating_System
4	I-Operating_System
,	O
and	O
Xbox	B-Device
One	I-Device
versions	O
,	O
while	O
the	O
Switch	O
version	O
received	O
"	O
generally	O
unfavorable	O
"	O
reviews	O
,	O
according	O
to	O
review	B-Application
aggregator	I-Application
Metacritic	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
problem	O
is	O
that	O
those	O
moments	O
are	O
usually	O
one	O
part	O
to	O
every	O
nine	O
parts	O
menial	O
grinding	B-Application
and	O
crafting	O
–	O
especially	O
at	O
the	O
later	O
tech	O
tiers	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
There	O
are	O
n't	O
a	O
lot	O
of	O
survival	B-Application
games	I-Application
that	O
have	O
legitimately	O
held	O
my	O
attention	O
that	O
long.	O
"	O
</s>
<s>
However	O
,	O
the	O
rebuilt	O
2022	O
Switch	O
version	O
developed	O
by	O
Grove	O
Street	O
Games	O
was	O
praised	O
by	O
Linneman	O
as	O
"	O
one	O
of	O
the	O
biggest	O
improvements	O
we	O
've	O
ever	O
seen	O
,	O
turning	O
the	O
game	O
from	O
a	O
hideous	O
,	O
unplayable	O
mess	O
into	O
one	O
of	O
the	O
more	O
impressive	O
Unreal	B-Operating_System
Engine	I-Operating_System
4	O
titles	O
we	O
've	O
seen	O
on	O
Nintendo	B-Application
Switch	I-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
Within	O
a	O
month	O
of	O
its	O
early	O
access	O
release	O
on	O
Steam	B-Application
,	O
Ark	O
had	O
sold	O
over	O
one	O
million	O
copies	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
By	O
August	O
2016	O
,	O
the	O
game	O
had	O
over	O
5.5	O
million	O
sales	O
across	O
both	O
Windows	O
and	O
Xbox	B-Device
One	I-Device
,	O
with	O
about	O
1.5	O
million	O
from	O
the	B-Device
Xbox	I-Device
One	I-Device
platform	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Two	O
spin-off	O
games	O
developed	O
by	O
Snail	O
Games	O
 '	O
Peacock	O
Studio	O
and	O
Snail	O
Games	O
USA	O
,	O
respectively	O
,	O
were	O
released	O
in	O
March	O
2018	O
:	O
Ark	B-Application
Park	I-Application
,	O
a	O
virtual	B-Application
reality	I-Application
game	O
,	O
and	O
PixARK	B-Application
,	O
a	O
sandbox	O
survival	B-Application
game	I-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
An	O
educational	B-Application
spin-off	O
developed	O
by	O
Grove	O
Street	O
Games	O
,	O
Ark	O
:	O
Dinosaur	O
Discovery	O
,	O
was	O
released	O
in	O
November	O
2021	O
for	O
the	O
Nintendo	B-Application
Switch	I-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
Co-developed	O
with	O
Grove	O
Street	O
Games	O
,	O
Ark	O
2	O
entered	O
early	O
access	O
on	O
Windows	O
and	O
Xbox	B-Device
Series	I-Device
X/S	I-Device
in	O
2023	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
game	O
will	O
be	O
released	O
using	O
Unreal	B-Operating_System
Engine	I-Operating_System
5	I-Operating_System
,	O
instead	O
of	O
Unreal	B-Operating_System
Engine	I-Operating_System
4	O
used	O
in	O
the	O
original	O
game	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
ARK	O
2	O
is	O
set	O
to	O
launch	O
exclusively	O
on	O
Xbox	B-Device
and	O
PC	O
by	O
the	O
end	O
of	O
2024	O
.	O
</s>
