"Michelle Yeoh Stars in Ark: Survival Ascended's Lost Colony, Prelude to Ark 2"

The highly anticipated dinosaur survival game, Ark 2, which had fans worried about potential delays or cancellation, is back on track. Developer Studio Wildcard has announced a new expansion for Ark: Survival Ascended, the remake of the original Ark, titled Ark: Lost Colony. This expansion serves as a bridge to the sequel, providing reassurance to the community that Ark 2 is still in development.

Ark: Lost Colony is the first original expansion for Ark: Survival Ascended. The reveal trailer, crafted by the renowned anime studio Mappa, known for hits like Jujutsu Kaisen, Attack on Titan, and Chainsaw Man, features voiceover work by Michelle Yeoh, who returns as Mei Yin from Ark: The Animated Series.

Studio Wildcard promises that Ark: Lost Colony will include numerous cinema-grade anime story sequences produced by Mappa. Here's 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?

According to Studio Wildcard's press release, Ark: Lost Colony "directly connects" the storylines of the Extinction and Genesis expansions, paving the way for the events of Ark 2.

Ark 2, powered by Unreal Engine 5, is the sequel to the immensely popular Ark: Survival Evolved. Initially unveiled with a surprise appearance by Vin Diesel at The Game Awards 2020, the game was originally slated for a 2022 release. However, it faced multiple delays, first to 2023, and then again to late 2024. It was set to launch as an Xbox Series X and S console exclusive, available day one on Game Pass, and also on PC via Steam and Windows.

As recently as December 2023, Studio Wildcard maintained that Ark 2 was on schedule for a late 2024 release. However, that deadline was missed, leading to fan concerns. The announcement of Ark: Lost Colony in March 2025 helps to reassure fans that Ark 2 remains in development, though no new release window for Ark 2 was provided.

More concrete details are available for Ark: Lost Colony. Pre-orders begin in June 2025, with buyers gaining immediate 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.