ARK: Survival Ascended cover art — Steam
Cover: Steam / Studio Wildcard

ARK: Survival Ascended — Latest Updates & Patch Notes

ARK: Survival Ascended is currently the #100 most-played game on Steam, with a 24-hour peak of 26K concurrent players — ▲ climbing (was #102 last week).

Last official update Aug 22, 2026 (4 days ago) · 12 updates in the last 90 days · 12 tracked here.

Steam rank
#100
Peak (24h)
26K
Genre
Action, Adventure, Indie
Developer
Studio Wildcard, Grove Street Games, Instinct Games
Released
Oct 25, 2023
Price
$11.24
Steam reviews
105K

ARK is reimagined from the ground-up into the next-generation of video game technology with Unreal Engine 5! Form a tribe, tame & breed hundreds of unique dinosaurs and primeval creatures, explore, craft, build, and fight your way to the top of the food-chain. Your new world awaits!

View ARK: Survival Ascended on Steam →

Latest updates & patch notes

  1. News

    Community Crunch 520: Three heads. One very good boy.

    Survivors, mark your calendars because September 30 is shaping up to be a big day on the ARKs! The Unreal Engine 5.8 upgrade, Therizinosaurus TLC, Cerberax, and Gargantar are all set to arrive together in one packed release. The move to Unreal Engine 5.8 represents one of the…

    Read the full notes on Steam →
  2. News

    Community Crunch 519: Tusk, Tusk, Boom!

    Things are about to get a little crispy on Astraeos. On August 26, the final update to Astraeos arrives, and charging headfirst into the fray is the Boaratos, a fiery new bruiser that's happiest when things get up close, and preferably a little singed. Download in full…

    Read the full notes on Steam →
  3. News

    Community Crunch 518: Long Live the King!

    The ground is beginning to shake again. Once upon a time, the Giganotosaurus was the undisputed king of the ARKs. Few creatures could stand against it, and hearing its roar in the distance was enough to send even seasoned Survivors scrambling for safety, and taming one was a…

    Read the full notes on Steam →
  4. News

    Community Crunch 517: Sharper Than Ever

    The Tickle Chicken is sharpening its claws. Thanks to your Extra Life vote, one of ARK's most iconic creatures is getting a fresh coat of feathers, all while staying true to the role Survivors have relied on for years. Rather than redefining the creature, this TLC focuses on…

    Read the full notes on Steam →
  5. News

    Community Crunch 516: Flips, Tricks & Teeth

    We’re excited to welcome another fan-favorite creature from Garuga123’s ARK: Additions into the official world of ARK: Survival Ascended. Each new arrival brings its own unique twist to survival, and the Concavenator is no exception. Fast, agile, and always ready to steal the…

    Read the full notes on Steam →
  6. News

    Community Crunch 515: Bouncing into Summer!

    🌴 Summer Bash is back from July 17 through August 5! 🌴 Suit up for some fun in the sun with a fresh wave of summer cosmetics. Dive into the deep end, slip into something shark-shaped, add a touch of jelly to your beach-day look, and keep an eye out for returning favorites from…

    Read the full notes on Steam →
  7. News

    Community Crunch 514: The Belly of the Beast

    Don't let the sleepy eyes fool you. This hulking newcomer has an appetite that extends far beyond its next meal. Be careful when approaching it, as it has a habit of inhaling just about anything that stands in its path. From allies to trees, bushes, and resources, nothing is…

    Read the full notes on Steam →
  8. Event

    ARK Franchise Sale, Free Weekend, and Lumina Arrives!

    Adventure is calling! ARK: Survival Ascended is on sale now on Steam, and if you've been waiting for the perfect time to jump in, you can also play FREE all weekend starting July 10th. There's never been a better time to begin your journey. Meet Umbra and Lumina, available now…

    Read the full notes on Steam →
  9. News

    Lumina Awakens!

    Today's Major Version update is scheduled to deploy at approximately 2:00 PM Pacific, bringing a new wave of post-Genesis launch fixes alongside the arrival of Dragontopia's newest tameable dragon. The shadow meets its light. Lumina awakens in Dragontopia! Taking flight as…

    Read the full notes on Steam →
  10. News

    Steam Global Top Sellers for week of 30 Jun — 7 July 2026

    * MECCHA CHAMELEON ; * Cyberpunk 2077 ; * Dead by Daylight ; * Assassin's Creed Black Flag Resynced ; * Steam Deck ; * EA SPORTS FC™ 26 ; * ARK: Survival Ascended ; * Grand Theft Auto V Enhanced ; * The Binding of Isaac: Rebirth ; * Red Dead Redemption 2 ; * excluding free to…

    Read the full notes on Steam →
  11. Release

    ARK Tides of Fortune, Dragontopia and Genesis Part 1 are out now!

    Pull up a chair, Survivors. Everyone knows the legendary ARK veteran Bob, played by Karl Urban, but you haven't truly heard a tale until you've survived his swashbuckling exploits on the high seas. Hoist the sails and experience his next chapter of incredibly true adventures in…

    Read the full notes on Steam →
  12. News

    Community Crunch 513: Dragon the Anchor

    The simulation is stretching to its limits, and on July 2nd, the boundaries fracture completely. With the official arrival of Genesis Ascended Part 1 and ARK Tides of Fortune, the world transforms into a massive, uncharted nautical frontier. Survivors will soon trade solid…

    Read the full notes on Steam →

Screenshots

ARK: Survival Ascended screenshot ARK: Survival Ascended screenshot ARK: Survival Ascended screenshot ARK: Survival Ascended screenshot

About ARK: Survival Ascended

Respawn into a new dinosaur survival experience beyond your wildest dreams… as ARK is reimagined from the ground-up into the next-generation of videogame technology with Unreal Engine 5! You awake on a mysterious island, your senses overwhelmed by the blinding sunlight and brilliant colors bouncing off every surface around you, the azure waters of a verdant Island lapping at your bare feet. A deep roar echoes from the misty jungle, jolting you into action, and you stand up – not afraid, but intrigued. Are you ready to form a tribe, tame and breed hundreds of species of dinosaurs and other primeval creatures, explore, craft, build, and fight…

Game details

System requirements (minimum)
Minimum: OS: Windows 10/11 with updates Processor: AMD Ryzen 5 2600X, Intel Core i7-6800K Memory: 16 GB RAM Graphics: AMD Radeon RX 5600 XT, NVIDIA GeForce 1080 DirectX: Version 12 Network: Broadband Internet connection Storage: 180 GB available space Additional Notes: SSD Required
Languages
English * , French, Italian, German, Spanish - Spain, Danish, Dutch, Japanese, Korean, Portuguese - Brazil, Portuguese - Portugal, Russian, Simplified Chinese, Spanish - Latin America, Traditional Chinese, Turkish *…
Controller
Full controller support
DLC
20 available on Steam
Official site
www.playark.com

Frequently asked questions

Is ARK: Survival Ascended free to play?
ARK: Survival Ascended is a paid game ($11.24) on Steam.
What is the latest ARK: Survival Ascended update?
The most recent official update is "Community Crunch 520: Three heads. One very good boy." (Aug 22, 2026), categorized as News. Survivors, mark your calendars because September 30 is shaping up to be a big day on the ARKs! The Unreal Engine 5.8 upgrade, Therizinosaurus TLC, Cerberax, and Gargantar are all set to arrive together in one packed release. The move to Unreal Engine 5.8 represents one of the…
How many people play ARK: Survival Ascended?
ARK: Survival Ascended peaked at 26K concurrent players in the last 24 hours, ranking #100 on Steam's most-played chart (it was #102 the previous week).
When was ARK: Survival Ascended released?
ARK: Survival Ascended was released on Oct 25, 2023 by Studio Wildcard, Grove Street Games, Instinct Games.
What kind of game is ARK: Survival Ascended?
ARK: Survival Ascended is a Action, Adventure, Indie, Massively Multiplayer, RPG, Early Access game, featuring single-player, multi-player, mmo.

Live player counts and update notes are pulled from Steam's public data and refreshed daily (last refresh: Aug 26, 2026). Excerpts are from official announcements; follow the source links for full notes. ARK: Survival Ascended and all related assets are trademarks of their respective owners.