Can ARK: Survival Evolved Developers Regain Trust by Fulfilling Past Promises at Launch?

After years of early access updates, shifting priorities, and more than a few controversial decisions, ARK: Survival Evolved finally has an official release date: August 8th, 2017. The full release comes with new content, including a free expansion map. More importantly, the opportunity for Studio Wildcard to prove they still take player trust seriously.

A Release That Feels Like a Turning Point

ARK will launch on Xbox One, PS4, and PC on August 8th. The Xbox One X version is coming November 7th. This has been a long time coming. If you’ve followed my ARK videos, you know I’ve been extremely critical of how Wildcard handled their early access roadmap, Particularly the decision to release a paid expansion (Scorched Earth) before the core game was even finished.

That move left a lot of backers feeling burned. Rightfully so.

Game developers, especially in early access, shouldn’t get a free pass to overpromise and underdeliver. There are consumer protection laws for a reason. Backers supported ARK with the expectation that the base game would be finished and the core features delivered before paid DLC hit the market. That didn’t happen.

With this full release, it seems Wildcard is finally trying to make things right.

Promises Kept Through Smart Mod Integration

One of the most exciting parts of the release is that Wildcard is now fulfilling several long-standing promises through its Sponsored Mods program. For example:

The Ragnarok map, now officially part of the game, adds expansive new biomes, unique landmarks, and even a badass castle to explore.
It’s completely free and created by community modders.
The long-requested desert biome is now part of this map.
If they integrate the S+ mod (which they should), it would overhaul the building system in ways players have wanted since the beginning.

This is what it looks like when a studio uses its resources wisely. Empowering the community while meeting the expectations it originally set. It’s not just cost-effective. It’s a way to restore faith.

New Features That Actually Feel Meaningful

With this update, ARK isn’t just padding out content for content’s sake. Some of these additions are genuinely exciting:

Otters have been added. Yes, you can tame them. They’ll keep you warm and help you retrieve fish.
Titanoboa taming is finally a thing. No longer just a menace in caves, these creatures can now be part of your team.
New TEK weapons offer more advanced endgame tech to work toward.
A fully orchestrated soundtrack now enhances the atmosphere, along with a newly introduced storyline that gives more context to your survival.

And on the technical side, Wildcard has added DDOS mitigation to protect multiplayer servers. A critical move for anyone serious about PvP or running stable community servers.

You’ve Got Options, But Know What You’re Buying

Along with the core game, ARK is offering several editions:

Explorer’s Edition ($60) includes Scorched Earth and two more expansions due by the end of 2018.
Limited Collector’s Edition ($160) comes with everything above, plus physical items like:
- A leather-bound Explorer’s Notebook (with dino dossiers)
- A cloth map
- The game’s soundtrack
- A necklace
- A development team poster

Right now, that physical edition is only listed at GameStop, but hopefully, it won’t stay exclusive for long.

So… Did Wildcard Redeem Themselves?

That’s the real question, isn’t it?

From where I’m standing, this launch feels like a genuine attempt at redemption. Wildcard is:

Delivering a huge free map that expands the game world
Adding meaningful features, not just fluff
Fulfilling promises made to early backers, even if it’s happening later than it should’ve

It doesn’t erase the missteps of the past, but it does show growth.

Redemption Doesn’t Require Perfection. Just Effort

Game studios don’t need to be perfect. They need to be accountable. ARK’s launch is a reminder that it’s never too late for a developer to earn back trust. Only if they show up with real content, real fixes, and real respect for their players.

This release feels like a step in the right direction. If they can keep it up post-launch, we might be looking at a much stronger foundation for ARK’s future than we’ve ever seen before.

What do you think? Has Wildcard earned your trust back?