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

The much-anticipated dinosaur survival game, Ark 2, which faced speculation about potential delays or cancellation, has been revitalized with the announcement of a new expansion for Ark: Survival Ascended. This expansion, titled Ark: Lost Colony, serves as a bridge to the eagerly awaited sequel.

Ark: Lost Colony marks the first original expansion for the Ark 1 remake, Ark: Survival Ascended. The reveal trailer, crafted by the renowned anime studio Mappa (known for Jujutsu Kaisen, Attack on Titan, and Chainsaw Man), showcases stunning visuals and features voiceover work by the acclaimed actress Michelle Yeoh, who reprises her role 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. The official description teases an immersive experience in a new frozen world, where players follow Mei Yin on a soul-searching journey into the heart of darkness to uncover long-buried secrets of the Ark's past.

Players can expect thrilling new challenges, including becoming the hunted in a vast occupied city, and access to powerful new character abilities, unique gear, building systems, and exotic tames. The expansion aims to connect the storylines of Ark's Extinction and Genesis expansions and seamlessly lead into the events of Ark 2.

Ark 2, powered by Unreal Engine 5 and featuring a surprise cameo by Vin Diesel at its announcement during The Game Awards 2020, was initially slated for a 2022 release. Subsequent delays pushed it to 2023, and then again to late 2024, with plans for an Xbox Series X and S console exclusive launch, day-one availability on Game Pass, and a release on PC via Steam and Windows. Despite assurances as recent as December 2023, Ark 2 did not meet its late 2024 release window, causing concern among fans. The announcement of Ark: Lost Colony in early 2025 helps to reassure fans that Ark 2 remains in development, though an updated release window was not provided.

For Ark: Lost Colony, more concrete details are available. Pre-orders will open in June 2025, granting immediate access to exclusive preview gameplay content. The full release is scheduled for November 2025, with Ark: Lost Colony priced at $29.99 for Xbox Series X and S, PlayStation 5, and PC.