Ark 2: Vin Diesel, trailer & everything we know

Join us as we explore all teasers and everything we know so far about ARK 2. This includes trailers, gameplay details, platforms and more.

ARK 2 is the upcoming sequel to ARK: Survival Evolved the hugely popular primitive survival game that allowed players to both fight and tame dinosaurs.

ARK 2 is set to release as a next-generation title developed in Unreal Engine 5 and will feature the Fast & Furious star, Vin Diesel.

For those of you excited to get back into the world of ARK, or are just curious about what Vin Diesel's role is, we have all the information on ARK 2 gameplay, trailers, and more right here. 

What do we know about ARK 2?

Click to enlarge

As of a recent community blog post, ARK 2 has faced a delay past the proposed 2023 window and is now cited by Studio Wildcard to launch it towards the end of 2024.

The studio expressed apologies for any disappointed fans and said that the delay is due to the challenges of working with Unreal Engine 5. 

"Unreal Engine 5 is incredibly new technology to us (and all developers), and we aim to use this cutting-edge tech to its fullest potential while creating a game with never-before-achieved scope at Studio Wildcard."

However, as revealed during the Xbox and Bethesda Summer 2022 Showcase, ARK 2 will arrive on Xbox Game Pass on day one. Even if the game does get early access, at least it will be easily accessible.

ARK 2 trailer

The above trailer debuted at The Game Awards in 2020 and first revealed Vin Diesel's involvement in the game as an executive director and lead actor. Though many people mistook it as a CGI trailer, it is all rendered using the actual in-game engine and even features some real assets.

Since then, we have received another cinematic trailer at the Xbox & Bethesda Showcase 2022, once more revealing details on the plot and the background of Vin Diesel's character, Santiago Da Costa.

ARK 2 platforms

Click to enlarge

The title was announced as an Xbox Series X|S console launch exclusive at The Game Awards, meaning it'll be unlikely to hit the PlayStation 5 until a while after. This is unlikely to affect the PC release date, which is expected to coincide with the Xbox release.

Upon launch, the game will also arrive on the Xbox Games Pass freely for pass holders.

ARK 2 Gameplay And Story

ARK 2 will be similar to the previous title, sticking to the island sandbox genre and letting players battle and tame the various creatures of the primitive land but it will also have a tonal shift and different design choices.

From the recent community post, Studio Wildcard mentioned the design changes will include:

"Souls-like combat, primitive-only weaponry, and strict third-person mechanics – and an overall “very serious” tone".

Eager to keep fans supportive despite this, the studio has promised to release an updated version of ARK Survival Evolved, made in Unreal Engine 5 and set to release across next-gen consoles.

The remake will be called ARK: Survival Ascended and will be released on Xbox Series X|S, PC (Windows/Steam), and PlayStation 5 by the end of August 2023.

From the trailers of ARK 2 released so far, we can see that Vin Diesel takes on a leadership role, looking after his tribe and daughter. There is the inclusion of the warring tribes and lost technology of which Vin Diesel seems to have knowledge.

We can safely assume that the sequel will have more narrative focus, with a plot to explore alongside the usual crafting, gathering, taming, fighting, and exploration aspects.

The game can also be played in single-player or multiplayer, so players can experience the title in their preferred way. 

Vin Diesel's involvement in ARK 2

Click to enlarge

It was a surprise for some to see the movie star in the trailer for ARK 2, but Diesel has been around the world of video games for a long while now. He first made appearances as the titular character in the Chronicles of Riddick games and even owns a development studio called Tigon Studios. 

Apparently, he was a huge fan of the first game, having put over 1000 hours into it, and so made an effort to be involved with the sequel. Aside from appearing in the game, he also serves as an Executive Producer and is directly involved in the development process, offering direct feedback.

His official title at Studio Wildcard is 'President of Creative Convergence,' while he pulls double duty on both the game and animated series, acting as Executive Producer for both.

For more information regarding Ark 2, keep reading GGRecon.