“Ark: Survival Ascended,” a reimagined version of “Ark: Survival Evolved,” made an impressive debut on Steam, selling over 600,000 copies within just two weeks of its release. This success was further highlighted by its performance on Twitch, where it was one of the top six games on its launch day, with over 5.6 million minutes watched. Initially, it even became the highest-grossing premium title on Steam for the week of October 24-31, 2023.
The Game’s Redesign and Features
Survival Ascended, rebuilt from the ground up using Unreal Engine 5, includes advanced features like mesh streaming, dynamic lighting, and robust physics systems. This revamp offers players access to all of Ark’s worlds, with the promise of additional expansion worlds at no extra cost.
Encountering Challenges
Despite its initial sales success, “Ark: Survival Ascended” faced its share of challenges. Following its peak week, the game fell eight places on Steam, with players raising concerns about bugs, poor optimization, and lack of content. Currently, the game holds a “Mixed” rating on Steam, with 56% of over 26,000 user reviews being positive.
Console Version Delays
The road to consoles has been less smooth for Survival Ascended. The Xbox version faced delays due to certification issues, with its release postponed multiple times within a month. However, the PlayStation version is still expected to launch by the end of November.
The Future of Ark: Survival Ascended
Despite these hurdles, the publisher, Snail Inc., and developer Studio Wildcard remain optimistic. Studio Wildcard plans to continue supporting and developing Survival Ascended and is also focusing on the upcoming sequel, “ARK 2,” slated for release in 2024.
Key Takeaways
- Impressive Sales: Over 600,000 copies sold in two weeks, making it a promising start for the franchise.
- Technical Challenges: Mixed reviews and player feedback indicate a need for further optimization and content addition.
- Console Launch Delays: Issues with the Xbox version’s release, while the PlayStation version is on schedule.
Conclusion
“Ark: Survival Ascended” has made a significant impact in its early days, showing the potential for growth and improvement. Its journey represents both the opportunities and challenges in the gaming industry, where initial success can be tempered by technical and operational hurdles. For fans and players, the game’s evolution and the upcoming release of “ARK 2” will be developments to watch closely.
