ARK: Lost Colony
With ARK: Lost Colony, Survival Ascended does not simply enter another new map, but for the first time specifically addresses one of the largest narrative gaps in the entire ARK saga. The DLC officially serves as a link between Extinction and ARK 2 and simultaneously marks the narrative end of the known ARK era as well as the origin of a new story.
Lost Colony takes players back to Arat Prime – the site of humanity’s last defense and a long-mystified hub of ARK lore. What has only been hinted at in fragments, radio transmissions, and Explorer Notes is now tangible as a playable world.
The planned release date is now December 19, 2025 at 5:00 AM. The DLC will be available on Steam, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series:
- Steam: https://store.steampowered.com/…
- PlayStation 5: https://store.playstation.com/e…
- Xbox Series: https://www.xbox.com/de-CH/game…
Additional information will be continuously available in the official wiki: https://ark.wiki.gg/wiki/Lost_C…
Arat Prime – the Necrocene and the Eternal Night
Lost Colony takes place in the so-called Necrocene, a post-cataclysmic epoch in which the South Pole of the Earth has fallen into eternal night. Massive snow masses, extreme wind chill effects, and dynamic blizzards shape survival. Amidst this inhospitable world exists the namesake Lost Colony: a metropolis hidden under energy shields, powered by the radioactive heat of Red Element.
This unnatural energy source keeps the city alive but simultaneously prevents the triggering of the Reseed Protocols. The Earth remains intentionally broken – so that the self-proclaimed Lost King can rule over his corrupted realm.
Players navigate between the tyrannical order of the Lost King and the violet corruption of a well-known enemy. The map ranges from rugged tundra craters to bioluminescent forests and deep into the underground plains of the Lost City itself.
Narrative Implementation and Storytelling
Lost Colony is the most narratively ambitious DLC in the series to date. The story is told through several new media:
- Animated Sequences by MAPPA – action-packed anime cutscenes featuring Michelle Yeoh as Mei-Yin.
- Cinematic Performance Capture – high-resolution CGI sequences with Unreal Engine 5 Metahumans, including Helena Walker (Madeleine Madden), Meeka (Auli'i Cravalho), and Bob (Karl Urban).
- Neural Intrusion – the Lost King (voiced by Keith David) comments on the gameplay directly and intrudes into the player's thoughts.
- Engram Codex – unlockable, fully voiced dialogue sequences in JRPG style.
- Living Lore – voiced Explorer Notes and dossiers from the records of Darius Anthom (Lost King) and Sir Edmund Rockwell (David Tennant).
Regions of Lost Colony
- The Lost King’s Dominion – a multi-tiered, gothic metropolis with a Hostility system and Thrall patrols.
- The Tundra – arctic wasteland filled with craters from a crashed ARK.
- Twilight Forest & Mountains – bioluminescent forests that react to auroras.
- The Dark Forest – transition zone to the most dangerous areas.
- The Caldera – collapsed volcano as the geothermal heart of the city.
- Hot Springs – vital heat and water sources.
- Aberrant Crash Sites – toxic zones with Edmundium contamination.
New and Returning Creatures
Veilwyn, Solwyn, and Malwyn
The Veilwyn is a fox-like companion that provides protection and can evolve. Through evolution, it either becomes the Solwyn – a defensive, cryokinetic protection mount – or the corrupted Malwyn, a hunter specialized in elimination with teleportation-based attacks.
Ossidon
A gigantic cryogenic primate that uses ice as a weapon. By bonding with the player, its morphology changes dynamically. It embodies the brutal symbiosis of biology and Red Element.
Gloon
A floating abomination created by Rockwell that manipulates light, drives enemies mad, and alternates between stealth and laser attacks.
Other Creatures
- Desmodus – the classic vampire bat returns.
- Cryolophosaurus – biological artillery creature with frost and narcotic attacks.
- Gigadesmodus – flying fortress and mobile command post.
- Aureliax – telekinetic yin-yang dragon.
Thralls, Enemies, and Factions
Thralls are bio-engineered soldiers of the Lost King. They use weapons, armor, and teleporters, can be recruited, controlled, and even directly taken over. Opponents include Gargoyles, Neophytes, and Edmundium-infected Revenants.
New Systems, Equipment, and Building Options
- Fabricated Crossbow with multiple fire modes
- Tek Spear with blink dash and torpor option
- Bloodforge, War Bench, Cryo-Hospital
- Cursed Weaponry with double traits
- TEK Bunker and Base Templating System
- Arctic Armor and Snow Ghillie
- Thrall structures and decor
Endgame and Progression
Over 70 new skills are spread across three paths: Wayfarer, Beastmaster, and Utility. Dynamic outpost missions determine loyalty or rebellion. The path ultimately leads to the palace of the Lost King himself.
Conclusion
ARK: Lost Colony is not a classic map DLC, but a narrative turning point. Gothic horror, sci-fi technology, political power plays, and personal choices merge into one of the densest ARK experiences to date. Arat Prime is not a new beginning – but the origin of all survival.
