ARK Fantastic Tames Season 1

Jun

06

2026

0

By Louis Bang Bang

Cerberax by Wildcard

Studio Wildcard is expanding ARK: Survival Ascended with the paid "Fantastic Tames Season 1" DLC pack, adding a range of extraordinary creatures. These are based on the mystical anomalies of the ARKs and bring entirely new gameplay mechanics to the game that differ significantly from the classic prehistoric animals. The pack includes a total of three unique creatures that will be gradually implemented over the course of 2026: the already available Burrowbuck, as well as the announced Cerberax and Enigmasaur.

Burrowbuck – The Master of Guerilla Warfare

The Burrowbuck is an extremely agile and elusive utility creature designed for deception, area control, and ambushes. Its core competence lies underground: it can dig hidden, bunker-like underground burrows where tribes can build bases, and open temporary tunnel networks for fast long-distance travel. If cornered, it kicks up disorienting dust clouds and leaves hidden traps for its pursuers to make a lightning-fast retreat.

Biologically and in name, the Burrowbuck is inspired by real-life, burrowing mammals like wild rabbits or hares (hence the rabbit-like design and the term "buck" for a male animal). Its extremely agile jumping abilities and escape-like burrowing reflect the natural behavior of these small mammals, but have been exaggerated for the ARK ecosystem into tools for tactical sabotage and guerrilla warfare.

Cerberax – The Three-Headed Frontline Steamroller (Planned for Q3 2026)

Following in the third quarter of 2026, the Cerberax is a massive frontline creature perfectly designed for heavy tribe battles and co-op synergies. The monster features three individually controllable heads that can be operated by a main rider and up to three additional passengers. Each head has an elemental specialization: one head wears down enemy defenses with corrupting power, the second burns targets with relentless flames, while the central head acts as an electrical catalyst that detonates status effects and inflicts devastating environmental damage.

The mythological parallel here is clear: the name and design are directly based on Cerberus, the multi-headed hound of Hades in Greek mythology who guards the gates of the Underworld. The game transforms this classic motif into a living, elemental artillery platform for coordinated teams.

Enigmasaur – The Ultimate Shapeshifter (Planned for Q4 2026)

The Enigmasaur is a mysterious master of stealth, arriving in the fourth quarter of 2026. From the shadows, this creature observes other beings, stores their form, and can subsequently transform into them at will. In its transformed shape, the Enigmasaur gains full access to all specific abilities of the copied creature. It is capable of storing multiple stolen forms at once, making it the ultimate tool for infiltration and adaptation.

In real-life biology, a direct reference to this can be found in the principle of evolutionary mimicry – as seen, for example, in the mimic octopus (Thaumoctopus mimicus), which perfectly imitates the shape, color, and behavior of other marine life to deceive predators or hunt prey. Mythologically, the Enigmasaur is reminiscent of classic shapeshifter and doppelgänger legends.

----

You can find the full launch patch notes and purchase options for the Creature Pack directly on the official platforms: