One of the biggest surprises of last week's The Game Awards, Ark 2 starring Vin Diesel, will be launching on Xbox Series X|S as a console exclusive in 2022. Xbox will be the first to tell players that Studio Wildcard's survival game has a long history on its platform. The original game was one of the pioneers of the Game Preview program in 2015, paving the way (alongside Steam Early Access) for a full launch two years later. Ark: Survival Evolved was also one of the first titles to take advantage of both Xbox One X and Xbox Series X optimizations, providing experiences on par with the PC for console players.
Generally considered to be the most successful of the various survival games that came out several years ago, Ark is regularly among the most played games across Steam and console platforms. On Xbox, it's easy to join in, as the game is available to many already on the platform. As of now, the original Ark: Survival Evolved is available on Xbox Game Pass alongside the Scorched Earth, Aberration, and Extinction expansion packs. The game is playable this way across console and PC as well as through Xbox Game Streaming for Xbox Game Pass Ultimate subscribers.
As revealed by Xbox Wire, the sequel will also have strong ties to Xbox, premiering as a console exclusive on Xbox Series X and Xbox Series S. The game, which saw its first cinematic trailer unveiled this past Thursday at The Game Awards, is currently scheduled for a 2022 release. Studio Wildcard promises that players who try out their survival sandbox will continue the "dramatic eons-spanning story of humankind’s evolution" throughout the franchise.
Vin Diesel will portray Santiago, a major character in the game's story. The actor is also serving as the executive producer on the project, bringing his game development skills to the test. Diesel is said to have played over 1,000 hours of the original game, and he's also had a hand in previous games featuring his likeness such as The Chronicles of Riddick: Escape from Butcher Bay, Wheelman, and Fast and Furious: Crossroads. All three of those projects were co-developed by Tigon Studios, a development house founded by Vin Diesel as a subsidiary of his film studio One Race Films. There's no word on if this studio will be involved in Ark 2.
The launch trailer is light on specifics when it comes to what Ark 2 will play like, and that's an interesting choice. While it's obviously very early in development, will Studio Wildcard stick to what worked in the original game? The survival genre isn't what it used to be, and might be wise to try to incorporate other AAA features in order to make the game more appealing to a general audience. Of course, that could also be why they brought in the face of The Fast and The Furious for their cover art. Either way, there's a long wait ahead of anyone excited, and plenty of opportunities to see what Xbox is getting their hands on.
Source: Xbox Wire