New ARK Expansion Adds Dragons, Scorched Earth Map
By Kyle Sledge 02 September 2016
Video game developer Studio Wildcard officially releases ARK: Survival Evolved‘s first expansion pack that adds the Scorched Earth map and dragons to the title.
Today, Studio Wildcard announced that ARK: Survival Evolved‘s first expansion pack called Scorched Earth has officially been released on PC through Steam Early Access, as well as on Xbox One by way of the Microsoft console’s Game Preview program. The fresh map for the action-adventure and survival game is desert-themed, and it also incorporates sandy biomes, creatures like the Wyvern, fresh gameplay systems, and perhaps most importantly, dragons.
As seen in the trailer for ARK: Survival Evolved‘s Scorched Earth expansion below, similar to the base game, fans begin by waking up naked and stranded, with players being forced to find shelter and scour for resources in order to stay alive, in addition to the necessity of surviving electrical and sand storms, while also avoiding heatstroke. Interestingly enough, players will be able to move back and forth in between Scorched Earth and the main game, as they have the ability to tote items from one world to the other.
ARK: Survival Evolved‘s new Scorched Earth map will have dunes, high deserts, mountains, canyons, badlands, oases, and even a dragon trench. Furthermore, each region has its own unique resources and ecosystems. In addition to the areas, there are also going to be more than 50 new items put into the expansion, including new outfits, structures, and a brand new shelter with tents. Plus, Scorched Earth brings about whips, boomerangs, flamethrowers, and much more.
As far as the new creatures in ARK: Survival Evolved‘s Scorched Earth are concerned, the map will incorporate plenty of monsters and beasts, such as Morellatops and the aforementioned Wyvern, with some of the animals like the dragons being tameable to be ridden. Additionally, Studio Wildcard has added what it is calling a Death Worm in the expansion, as well as a new boss creature in the form of the mythological Manticore.
Studio Wildcard describes ARK: Survival Evolved‘s Scorched Earth expansion as a “completely finished [and] polished” DLC pack. For those interested in picking it up, the add-on has a price point of $20 on PC and Xbox One. Naturally, in order for fans to experience it, the base game of ARK: Survival Evolved is required, but to give those extra incentive to buy it along with Scorched Earth, the main title is currently marked down 40 percent this week.
On top of Studio Wildcard releasing Scorched Earth for ARK: Survival Evolved, the game’s Xbox One version is going to be updated to include a graphical improvement that will see the native resolution upped to 720p, with the UI rising to 1080p. This enhancement also adds the fan-created Primitive+ mod, which has more than 100 new items, the ability to fish with a fishing mechanic and rod, as well as the two creatures known as the Pelagornis and the Allosaurus.
Although ARK: Survival Evolved is technically yet to be completed, Studio Wildcard’s game had more than 1 million copies sold in Early Access at the beginning of July 2015, with its sales now standing at upwards of 5.5 million across PC and Xbox One. Naturally, the inclusion of the Scorched Earth expansion ought to move even more units, especially since the developer continues to beef up the game with fresh items, environments, gameplay mechanics, and new dinosaurs. At this rate, once Studio Wildcard manages to finally introduce ARK: Survival Evolved beyond the PC and Xbox One and give fans a PS4 version, interest in the game will undoubtedly reach even greater heights once it officially launches.
ARK: Survival Evolved is currently in Early Access, and it is scheduled for full release on Linux, Mac OS X, PC, PlayStation 4, and Xbox One before the end of 2016.
Source: ARK: Survival Evolved – YouTube (via GameSpot)
