Studio Wildcard, the developer behind ARK: Survival Evolved, has pushed the release date for its sequel, ARK 2, back to 2028.

Co-founder Jeremy Stieglitz shared this news during the 'Investor Day' event held by publisher Snail Games at the Nasdaq MarketSite. ARK 2 was first unveiled at The Game Awards in 2020, where Vin Diesel appeared in the trailer to generate significant interest. It was originally aimed for a 2023 launch, but was delayed to 2024. It was subsequently pushed to 2027, and with this latest announcement, it is expected that players will finally be able to experience the game eight years after its initial reveal.

The developer plans to focus on expanding content for its existing title, 'ARK: Survival Ascended,' until the new game is released. In particular, the large-scale expansion 'The Legacy of Santiago,' scheduled for release in Q4 2027, is expected to serve as a narrative bridge leading into ARK 2.

Stieglitz further explained that 'The Legacy of Santiago' will be used to test features such as the Soulslike third-person melee combat system planned for ARK 2. He stated, "Our strategy is to introduce new systems in our live service game first to gather player feedback and make adjustments, thereby reducing the risks associated with the sequel's launch."

Another factor behind the delay is the lesson learned from managing the previous title. The development team referenced the backlash they received for ending updates to 'ARK: Survival Evolved' too early, emphasizing that this time, they will continue to provide content as long as there is player demand.