ARK 2Explainer
ARK 2 release date: still TBA, and Studio Wildcard's 2023 target came and went
ARK 2 doesn't have a release date or even a release year. The Steam page lists it as coming soon, with the date to be announced, and says it will start in Early Access. Studio Wildcard said in June 2022 that the sequel starring Vin Diesel would launch in 2023 on Xbox and PC with Game Pass, but that window passed, and the studio's latest story expansion for ARK: Survival Ascended, released in December 2025, is billed as the bridge to ARK 2.
- Xbox Series X|S
- PC
Studio Wildcard’s dinosaur survival sequel starring Vin Diesel still has no launch date, years after its first target. Here’s what’s official.
When does ARK 2 come out?
Studio Wildcard hasn’t said, not even a year. The Steam page lists ARK 2 as coming soon, with the release date to be announced, and says the game will first arrive in Early Access. There’s no price and no pre-order, though you can add it to your wishlist on Steam.
The studio’s Steam announcements in 2026 have focused on ARK: Survival Ascended, its Unreal Engine 5 rebuild of the first game, and haven’t included news on ARK 2.
What happened to the 2023 date?
It passed. ARK 2 was first shown in December 2020, and in a post on Xbox Wire on June 12, 2022, Studio Wildcard said the sequel would launch the following year with Xbox Game Pass and PC Game Pass. That window came and went, and the Steam page now gives no date.
The clearest official sign that ARK 2 is still coming is in the story. ARK: Lost Colony, a story expansion for Survival Ascended released on Dec. 19, 2025, is described by Studio Wildcard as the bridge between ARK: Extinction and ARK 2.
Which platforms is ARK 2 on?
The 2022 plan named Xbox and PC, with a launch on Game Pass and user-made mods playable on Xbox through cross-platform servers. The only store page so far is on Steam, for Windows PC. No PS5 version has been announced, and Studio Wildcard hasn’t said whether the Game Pass plan still stands.
What is ARK 2 about?
You wake up on a strange primal world where dinosaurs and humans struggle for dominance, piece together how you got there and team up with legendary heroes against dark forces trying to control all life. Vin Diesel plays the ARK hero Santiago, and the story follows Santiago’s fight to protect a daughter, Meeka, voiced by Auli’i Cravalho.
ARK 2 is developed by Studio Wildcard with Grove Street Games and published by Studio Wildcard. If you’re looking for the ARK show, that’s ARK: The Animated Series, which streams on Paramount+.
What’s new in ARK 2?
Studio Wildcard says every part of the series has been rethought. ARK 2 is third-person only, with free climbing, mantling, parkour, sliding and swinging, and its melee combat uses target lock, blocks, dodges, combos and staggers, with Souls-like games as an inspiration. A World Event system keeps things happening across the map whether you’re there or not, from stampedes and herds to wounded creatures and gatherings at watering holes.
Weapons and tools are built from modules, with millions of possible combinations, and invasive primeval creatures from an extinct Earth are overrunning the native wildlife. Stackable user-made mods for creatures, items, gameplay and maps are planned on every platform, along with modded unofficial servers.
For another dinosaur game without a date, see our Jurassic Park: Survival release date page, and for a survival sandbox on a planet the size of Earth, our Light No Fire release date page. If you want an underwater survival game you can already play, see our Subnautica 2 full release date page.
This page is updated as soon as Studio Wildcard announces a release date, platforms or Early Access details for ARK 2.
FAQ
When does ARK 2 come out?
Studio Wildcard hasn’t announced a date or a year. The Steam page lists the release date as to be announced.
Was ARK 2 delayed?
Yes. Studio Wildcard said in June 2022 that ARK 2 would launch the following year with Xbox Game Pass and PC Game Pass. That window passed, and there’s no new public date.
Is ARK 2 canceled?
No. Studio Wildcard’s Steam page still lists it as coming, and in December 2025 the studio described its Lost Colony expansion as the bridge between ARK: Extinction and ARK 2.
Is ARK 2 on PS5?
No PS5 version has been announced. The 2022 plan named Xbox and PC, and the only store page so far is on Steam for Windows PC.
Will ARK 2 be on Game Pass?
That was the plan in June 2022, when Studio Wildcard said ARK 2 would launch with Xbox Game Pass and PC Game Pass. It hasn’t confirmed since whether that still stands.
Who does Vin Diesel play in ARK 2?
Santiago, a legendary ARK hero. The story follows Santiago’s fight to protect a daughter, Meeka, voiced by Auli’i Cravalho.
Is there an ARK 2 TV show?
No, ARK 2 is a game. The ARK series on TV is ARK: The Animated Series, which streams on Paramount+.
Is ARK 2 first-person?
No. Studio Wildcard said in 2022 that ARK 2 is third-person only, though modders could add a first-person mode.
Pop quiz
1 questions from this story.
Who voices Meeka in ARK 2?
Auli’i Cravalho voices Meeka, the daughter of Vin Diesel’s Santiago.
Your call
Would you play ARK 2 in Early Access?
