Ark: Survival Ascended Expansion Lost Colony Stars Michelle Yeoh, Leads Into Ark 2

The highly anticipated dinosaur survival game, Ark 2, is back in the spotlight as developer Studio Wildcard unveils an exciting new expansion for Ark: Survival Ascended, titled Ark: Lost Colony. This development has dispelled rumors of the sequel's potential troubles and reaffirmed the studio's commitment to the franchise.

Ark: Lost Colony marks the first original expansion pack for the revamped Ark 1, known as Ark: Survival Ascended. The reveal trailer, crafted by the acclaimed anime studio Mappa—famous for works like Jujutsu Kaisen, Attack on Titan, and Chainsaw Man—features voiceover by the renowned 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. According to the official description, players will embark on a soul-searching journey with Mei Yin in a new frozen world, delving into the chilling heart of darkness to uncover long-buried secrets of Ark's past.

The expansion promises thrilling new challenges, where survivors become the hunted in a vast occupied city. Players will gain access to powerful new character abilities, unique gear, innovative building systems, and exotic tames. The central question posed by Studio Wildcard is whether survivors can confront the demons of Arat Prime and bridge the gap between Ark's past and future.

Studio Wildcard has also clarified that Ark: Lost Colony serves as a narrative bridge, directly connecting the storylines of the Extinction and Genesis expansions to the upcoming events in Ark 2.

Ark 2, powered by Unreal Engine 5, is the sequel to the immensely popular Ark: Survival Evolved. Initially announced at The Game Awards 2020 with a surprise cameo by Vin Diesel and a planned 2022 release, the game faced multiple delays. Originally postponed to 2023, it was delayed again to late 2024, set to launch as an Xbox Series X and S console exclusive, available on day one via Game Pass, and also on PC through Steam and Windows.

Despite assurances in December 2023 that Ark 2 was still on track for a late 2024 release, the game did not meet this deadline, causing fan concern. The recent announcement of Ark: Lost Colony in early 2025 should reassure fans that Ark 2 is still in development, though Studio Wildcard did not provide an updated release window.

More concrete details are available for Ark: Lost Colony. Pre-orders will begin in June 2025, with immediate access to exclusive preview gameplay content upon purchase. 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.