"Michelle Yeoh Stars in Ark: Survival Ascended's Lost Colony, Prelude to Ark 2"

The much-anticipated dinosaur survival game, Ark 2, which had sparked concerns about potential delays or cancellation, has been revitalized with the announcement of a new expansion for Ark: Survival Ascended. This expansion, titled Ark: Lost Colony, serves as a bridge leading directly into the narrative of the sequel.

Ark: Lost Colony marks the first original expansion pack for the Ark: Survival Ascended remake, and it comes with a stunning reveal trailer crafted by the renowned anime studio Mappa, known for hits like Jujutsu Kaisen, Attack on Titan, and Chainsaw Man. The trailer features the voice of Michelle Yeoh, who returns to her role as Mei Yin from Ark: The Animated Series.

The expansion promises an immersive experience with cinema-grade anime sequences created by Mappa. Here's the official description:

In this new frozen world, players follow in the footsteps of legendary Ark survivor Mei Yin, on a soul-searching quest deep into the chilling heart of darkness to find answers to long-buried secrets of Ark's past.

Ark: Lost Colony will present survivors with thrilling new challenges as they become the hunted in a vast occupied city, and gain access to powerful new kinds of character abilities, unique gear, building systems, and phenomenally exotic tames.

Will Survivors be able to face down the demons lurking in Arat Prime, and connect Ark's past and future?

Studio Wildcard has confirmed that Ark: Lost Colony seamlessly ties together the storylines from the Extinction and Genesis expansions, setting the stage for the events in Ark 2.

Ark 2 itself is a highly anticipated sequel powered by Unreal Engine 5, initially announced with a surprise appearance by Vin Diesel at The Game Awards 2020. Originally slated for a 2022 release, it faced delays, first to 2023 and then to late 2024. Despite assurances in December 2023 that it was on track for a late 2024 release, the game did not meet that deadline, causing fan concern. The announcement of Ark: Lost Colony in early 2025 reaffirms the ongoing development of Ark 2, though no new release window was provided.

For Ark: Lost Colony, more concrete details are available. Pre-orders will commence in June 2025, granting immediate access to exclusive preview gameplay content. The full release is scheduled for November 2025, with the expansion priced at $29.99 for Xbox Series X and S, PlayStation 5, and PC.