ARK: SURVIVAL EVOLVED STARTS FREE WEEKEND TODAY ON STEAM AND 50% OFF SALE PAIRED WITH MASSIVE CONTENT DROP
Free DLC Primitive+ Official Mod Launches; v245 Updates Including Two Dinosaurs, Fishing Rod and Mechanic, and The Center Expansion Delivers New Islands, Biomes, Caves and Creature Spawns
Seattle, WA – July 28, 2016 – Studio Wildcard is truly ‘Sleepless in Seattle’ today after releasing a content-rich package (v245) offering ARK: Survival Evolved players a mega update to fantasy map The Center while fully launching Primitive+, the second player-created mod to be made an official part of the ARK game. Studio Wildcard also has brought to life two new creatures, Pelagornis and Allosaurus, and has materialized a new fishing rod and fishing mechanic, along with a flurry of additional gameplay features. All content is available starting today as a free download on Steam PC.
Haven’t yet experienced the definitive online dinosaur survival game? From Thursday, July 28, through Sunday, July 31, 2016, ARK: Survival Evolved is hosting a Free Weekend on Steam where all players can start to tame, train, breed and ride Dinosaurs in this open-world action-adventure survival game. ARK: Survival Evolved also is on sale for Steam players at 50% off (retail $29.99) from Thursday, July 28, through Wednesday, August 3, 2016.
Free ARK DLC
Newly available as part of the ‘ARK Official Mods Program’ today, Primitive+ is a functionality mod playable on all official ARK maps that challenges players to use only weapons and tools using wood and stone, without the benefit of advanced metals to create weapons such as guns. It’s a whole new set of items and detailed mechanics focused on ‘primitive’ survival, which fits snugly in the world of ARK.
The Center, a massive free DLC map that was first released in May 2016, expanded today to include new biomes, islands, caves, and creature spawns. The Center was created by modder Ben Burkart as part of the ‘ARK Official Mods Program’ and complements the current biomes with a rich, hand-drawn Tolkien-esque aesthetic. The Center’s massive map doubles the in-game playable geography of the already enormous ARK landscape making it 70 sq. kilometers filled with stunning lighting effects, lava rivers, giant picturesque mountains, misty floating islands, ancient underground ice caves, and more.
ARK v245 New Creatures
Pelagornis (Species Pelagornis miocaenus): This creature is instantly recognizable from the more common Icthyornis by its size. With a wingspan rivaling Argentavis, it also possesses a beak filled with tooth-like projections for snagging fish and webbed feet for paddling upon the ocean surface. Because of its ability to fly, walk, and surface-swim, a tamed Pelagornis is one of the island’s most versatile mounts, though this comes at a cost. The same webbed feet that allow Pelagornis to serenely maneuver along the ocean’s surface prevent it from snatching prey from the ground, which may limit its appeal to some survivors.
Allosaurus (Species Allosaurus therotribus): Smaller but faster than Tyrannosaurus, larger but slower than Carnotaurus, Allosaurus is the island’s resident pack-hunting theropod. While most aggressive theropods are relatively solitary creatures, Allosaurus lives in groups of three. One Allosaurus is the Pack Leader, while the others are its mates or a beta male. The Allosaurus has evolved to hunt in packs. Its saw-shaped teeth leave its prey bleeding and maimed, making escape difficult. Once an Allosaurus slows a creature with its cutting bite, the rest of its pack quickly close in for the kill…
Additional Update v245 Content Includes:
- New Item: Fishing Rod + Fishing Mechanic! Be a pro fisherman as you apply varied bait, cast the line, wait for a fish to become ensnared, and then succeed at a mini-game to reel the fish and claim copious rewards!
- New Structure: Industrial Grinder that grinds items into a portion of their crafting resources, then converts resources into simpler resources
- New Structure: Spiral Staircase (Stone/Wood/Metal)
- New Mechanic: Optional Hitmarkers for ranged attacks (server can toggle them, as well as client if the server allows it)
- Building Attack/Destruction TribeLogs
Feel like riding a dinosaur? Join the ARK community forums HERE: steamcommunity.com/app/346110/discussions/
ARK: Survival Evolved is in development for Xbox One via the ID@Xbox program, PlayStation®4 with VR support, and Steam PC. The game is currently playable in Microsoft’s Game Preview on Xbox One and Steam’s Early Access program, which includes Oculus Rift VR support and an integration of Steam community features such as Steam Economy and Steam Workshop for custom maps and mods. Players can host private/LAN servers and have access to a custom-built version of the Unreal Engine 4 Editor for creating mods. The world of ARK is designed to be modder-friendly and ever-expanding!
To join our growing band of survivors, journey to Steam or Microsoft’s Game Preview on Xbox One to download the game. For the latest updates follow us on Twitter, like us on Facebook, subscribe to us on YouTube, visit the Website at playark.com and watch us tame and train leviathan dinosaurs on Twitch.TV.
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ABOUT STUDIO WILDCARD
Studio Wildcard was co-founded in 2014 by Jesse Rapczak, former Technical Art Director at Microsoft Game Studios, and industry veteran Jeremy Stieglitz with the mission of bringing AAA quality to ambitious indie productions that are designed for core gamers. With combined 25 years of industry experience across multiple independent and studio-backed titles, Jeremy and Jesse have teamed up with other veteran developers for Seattle, WA-based and Gainesville, FL-based development studios that also include distributed team members across multiple continents. Wherever talented, driven developers may reside, Studio Wildcard intends to seek out and work with them!
ABOUT INSTINCT GAMES
Instinct Games is Egypt’s leading game development studio. Started in 2011 by former Timeline Interactive co-founders, the Instinct Games team develops and produces video games on all major platforms utilizing its competent technical team. Its mission is to collaborate with world class partners to foster Egypt’s video game development ecosystem and set a precedent of high quality, low cost, entertaining indie games with worldwide appeal.
