Happy Birthday ARK & Unreal Update

On June 2, 2025, ARK: Survival Ascended will celebrate its tenth anniversary with a comprehensive update that offers both technical improvements and new content.

NEWS! Update has been postponed to June 4:
To ensure that all players on all platforms can access the Unreal Engine 5.5 update simultaneously, the launch has been postponed to tomorrow evening.

1) Unreal Engine 5.5: Technical Upgrade

The update to Unreal Engine 5.5 brings significant performance improvements:

• Enhanced graphics and faster loading times through optimized rendering.
• Reduced installation size, as additional maps can be downloaded optionally.
• Restructuring of game data to boost performance.

1.1) Performance

Another positive effect of the Unreal Engine 5.5 upgrade concerns the hardware requirements: ARK: Survival Ascended will run significantly better on older systems after the update. Studio Wildcard has confirmed that the game will be playable on an NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1080 again, with more stable frame rates and significantly reduced loading times. This is made possible by optimized rendering, improved memory management, and the new modular structure of the game data. While players with older hardware should not expect miracles, smooth gameplay in Full HD with medium to high settings is now within reach again – a step that particularly benefits returning players and those with mid-range hardware.

1.2) Mods

An important note for mod users: With the UE5.5 update, all mods on CurseForge will be automatically "cooked" again, meaning they will be technically compiled for the new engine version. This means that many existing mods may continue to work fundamentally – but there is no guarantee. Especially with more complex projects or mods with their own logic, there may be errors, incompatibilities, or unexpected behavior after the update. Studio Wildcard therefore recommends testing all used mods immediately after the update and, if necessary, waiting for updates from the mod developers or temporarily disabling them. Those who run their own servers should also create backups before the patch and transparently communicate to players which mods can remain active.

1.3) Structures

The update will also integrate a variety of new building structures into the game – and not just for one, but for all material tiers: Thatch, Wood, Stone, Adobe, Metal, Tek, Frontier, Steampunk, and Wasteland will each receive an expanded selection of shape variants, making creative building significantly more flexible.

These include, among others:

• Half and quarter building parts like pillars, ramps, walls, and ceilings
• New stair shapes and sloped building parts, e.g., "Shallow Sloped Walls" or ramp corners
• Complementary elements like thin columns, beams, railings, or special doors

These new parts not only allow for more complex and realistic structures but also significantly improve creative freedom in PvE or RP scenarios. Those who have previously hit the limits of the building system with asymmetrical designs or smaller building areas will discover many new possibilities with this update.

2) Anniversary Event: June 2–12, 2025

To celebrate the tenth anniversary, a special in-game event will take place from June 2 to 12:

2.1) New Content

• Event Creatures: Party Dodo.
• Skins: Birthday Suit (top and pants), Party Hat, Dino Party Hat, Sparkler.
• Items: Surprise Cake, various cake slices with bonuses for taming, breeding, experience, and harvesting.
• Emotes: DJ Party, Rave Dance.
• Chibis: Party versions of Dodo, Rex, Sabertooth, Pego, and Ankylo.
• Dino Colors: New color variants like DinoAlbino, DarkViolet, Cyan, and more.

3) Further Content and Outlook

3.1) Astraeos Update: New Island Lemnokis

The update will introduce the new island Lemnokis:

• Diverse biomes: Snowy forests, valleys, glacier caves.
• Duo minibosses: Kalydonios and Erymanthian, two giant boars with fire and poison attacks.
• New ocean zones: Deep sea areas with resources and the mysterious Maelstrom.

Starting July 15, OSDs (Orbital Supply Drops) in Astraeos will destroy nearby player structures upon landing. Players should relocate their bases accordingly.

3.2) Ragnarok Ascended – Classic in New Glory

With the update on June 18, 2025, one of the most popular maps in the ARK universe will return completely overhauled: Ragnarok Ascended. The remastered version not only brings a visually revised world with new lighting, more realistic terrain, and improved structures but also technical adjustments for Unreal Engine 5.5. Players can look forward to a familiar yet modernized gaming experience – with known biomes, caves, and boss fights, now up to date with the latest engine technology. The return of Ragnarok also marks an important milestone in Studio Wildcard's ongoing world upgrade plan.

3.3) Lost Colony Expansion Pass – New Paths, New Creatures

Also available from June 18, 2025, is the Lost Colony Expansion Pass, which will introduce a new canonical expansion for ARK: Survival Ascended for the first time. Buyers will receive initial playable content ("Day Zero Content") at launch – including new creatures, structures, and possibly even a new starting area. The Lost Colony content is intended to provide not only new tames and building materials but also to expand the game's lore. This expansion is particularly aimed at experienced players who are interested in further story and world development in addition to classic survival mechanics. More details about the full expansion are announced for later in the year.

3.4) Ice Wyvern: Mini-TLC Planned

According to an official forum post, the Ice Wyvern is set to receive a revamp. The goal is to make it more attractive and not just seen as a blue variant of the fire wyvern with a slowing effect. Details about the revamp are not yet known, but it is expected that the Ice Wyvern will be equipped with new abilities or improved stats.

3.5) New "Fantastic Tames": Shoulder Dragon

A new creature codenamed "shoulderdragon" has been discovered in the DevKit. It is speculated that this is a small dragon that sits on the player's shoulder. This creature could offer similar functions to the Sinomacrops, such as gliding or providing buffs. Official information is still pending, but the community is already actively discussing possible abilities and uses.

3.6) Modding: Changes to Sparse Data

With the UE 5.5 update, changes have been made to the Sparse Data system:

• Write access: Properties are no longer read-only but can be changed at runtime.
• Instance overrides: Some properties now support instance-specific overrides via the SparseDataOverrideManager.
• Labeling: Properties with global effects are marked with "-CLASS GLOBAL-".

Modders should adjust their projects accordingly to ensure compatibility.

Sources:

Community Crunch 460: The Party starts on June 2nd! - ARK News - ARK - Official Community Forums