With the launch of the Center Map just around the corner on June 4th, we wanted to share some insight about the Shastasauraus and how its design evolved during the development process. The Shasta, and namely its saddle, is one of the more ambitious designs we’ve done, and the team really enjoyed the challenge!

Download in full resolution[drive.google.com]

Two key areas we had to resolve related to making sure the Saddle actually functioned like a submarine (i.e. keeping water out while the creature moves, etc.) and how players and creatures moved inside of the sub itself. The first challenge required both a shift in the overall design of the saddle and a tech solution, as we learned pretty quickly that having it on top of the creature wasn’t going to be viable, so we had to redesign it to be under the Shasta instead. This change allowed us to ensure that we could keep the water outside of the saddle at all times and also eliminated the edge cases relating to the submarine being partially submerged. Tackling player and creature movement was purely a technology-driven solution, we rewrote some of the basing code – the logic that relates to what characters are standing (based) on – of Unreal when in different physics modes like falling and jumping, essentially creating a new basing system specifically when based inside of the new saddle.

This was definitely one of the more challenging creatures we've designed, so please excuse us for geeking out a little bit! So now you’ve heard the ins and outs of how we tamed the mighty Shastasaurus and its sub-aquatic saddle, it’s your turn next! We can't wait to see you all cruising the seas in Shasta-style on June 4.
Download & play new custom content created by players, including new maps, creatures, items, and game modes, through a dedicated new Mod-bowser directly within the game. Enjoy an endless stream of new ARK content as the creativity and talent of the community is fully unleashed for the first time across gaming platforms and stay tuned as we spotlight more Cross-Platform Mods each week!

This video features:

• Modern Structure Skins[www.curseforge.com] by Sandi_00
  
• Dedicated Storage Skins[www.curseforge.com] by KlingerMartins
  
• Reverence Cosmetics[www.curseforge.com] by Kelthezuad
  
• Sunken World Additions[www.curseforge.com] by The Sunken World Team
  
• J-Prefabs: Japanese Temples[www.curseforge.com] by GaiaStudios
  
• Proximity Mines[www.curseforge.com] by Trixt3r
  
• Paleo ARK Evolution - Apex Predators[www.curseforge.com] by Team Paleo ARK

• Reverence Cosmetics[www.curseforge.com] by Kelthezuad
  
• Modern Structure Skins[www.curseforge.com] by Sandi_00
  
• Dedicated Storage Skins[www.curseforge.com] by KlingerMartins

Dive into the depths of ARK with the incredible new Livyatan [www.curseforge.com]mod! Available now on Steam and Xbox and coming to Playstation (with the launch of Premium Mods).

• Unleash the Livyatan: This massive toothed whale is a force to be reckoned with. We'll cover its unique abilities, from bone-crushing bites to sonic blasts, and how to make the most of them in battle.
  
• Master the Sound Pad: Taming a Livyatan is no easy task, but we'll guide you through the minigames and sound waves needed to win its trust. Get ready for a symphony of survival!
  
• Craft and Conquer: Explore the custom crafting mechanics and build powerful saddles, weapons, and armor to make your Livyatan unstoppable. Prepare for epic underwater battles!
  
• Face the Alpha Livyatan: Gather your Dino army and dive into the depths to face the ultimate challenge: the Alpha Livyatan boss. Claim valuable resources and unlock advanced technology!

Conquest servers are being introduced to ARK: Survival Ascended by Snail Games. Conquest is a new PvP player experience for PC players which focuses on large-scale PvP while avoiding the problem of mega tribes. Increased rates will allow tribes to set up and establish themselves quickly and enable them to rebuild after potential losses instead of being wiped completely. The official date will be announced soon, so stay tuned!
If you need any support during the Conquest season, join the Conquest Enforcement's Discord[discord.gg].

• 5x XP, Harvesting, Taming, and Breeding (imprint, maturation, hatch/gestation)
  
• 0.5x Mating Interval
  
• Tribes are set to 25 players max
  
• Tribe alliances are disabled, though informal alliances are allowed
  
• Servers have a maximum player count of 100

More details to come!
On April 8th, we deployed a new type of server across the network (for the various game types) that we refer to as "Expire" (which is what you can search for in the session filter).

These servers will be online until 10 am PST / 1 pm EST on June 1st. We're preemptively using our allocation for The Center to host some additional sessions that players can travel onto to farm, tame, and experience the Scorched Earth Gameplay. The same transfer restrictions apply in that you are only able to download your character, but you can freely take anything off. This is to help reduce load off some of the other servers, or provide players an option for those who just want to jump onto Scorched Earth temporarily.

Please note that these servers will no longer exist after 10 am PST / 1 pm EST on June 1st, so if you intend to use them, remember to transfer your items/creatures/characters off before that date, as nothing will be saved beyond that time period.

For the full list of the Expire servers, click here[survivetheark.com].
ARKpocalypse servers have been wiped today!
What are ARKpocalypse servers?

• ARKpocalypse are monthly-wipe servers with higher than usual rates.
  
• Next wipe: June 21st, 2024

You can join them by searching in the server browser! Happy Surviving!
This weekend, the Official Network will be receiving bonus rates! It will be active until Tuesday, May 28.

• PVP/PVE: 2x Harvesting, Taming, and Experience, and Breeding
  
• Small Tribes: 4.5x Harvesting, Taming, and Experience + 4x Breeding
  
• ARKpocalypse: 5x Harvesting, Taming and Experience, and Breeding

Fan Art Gallery[survivetheark.com] | Screenshot Gallery[survivetheark.com] | Artist Feedback Form[docs.google.com]

Help us discover your talent by tagging your art with #ARKPhotoMode or #ARKFanart on social media!


Creator: Evo
Evo made a comprehensive and quick beginner's guide to the Xiphactinus!
Creator: KiahOnFire
Watch Monarchy Season 5's finale, featuring an award ceremony, an epic battle, and a cinematic ending!
Part 9 of Drawing Every Dino Dossier by cascadingcaramel
Another realistification in 3D by @SirDripstein
I am the biggest source of gladiatrix fan art! by gman2006
Icarus the Phoenix by penguinlover583
Mei X Diana is the best ship ever and you can't change my mind by @laind004
Fasolasuchus Ark by Spinogamer66
The Reaper by vertigoxxxx
My tribemate took me over to see an easter egg in Scorched today by beth.s
Photo mode is a bit tricky but definitely fun once u figure it out! by skippyskiddo
Photo Mode by meatymusty
A frozen base for summer by @oz3ark
Good color by @AoiShibafu_ARK
Enjoy your weekend!
Studio Wildcard

Twitter: twitter.com/survivetheark

Discord: discord.com/invite/playark

Reddit: reddit.com/r/playark

Instagram: instagram.com/survivetheark

Twitch: twitch.tv/survivetheark

Steam: steamcommunity.com/app/346110

Youtube: youtube.com/survivetheark

Facebook: facebook.com/survivetheark

Threads: threads.net/@survivetheark

Official Wiki: https://ark.wiki.gg/wiki/ARK_Survival_Evolved_Wiki

Download in full resolution[drive.google.com]

The Center is coming along nicely and will indeed be ready for launch at the beginning of June! To ensure a smooth rollout though, the release date has been adjusted by one day to June 4th. We're appreciative of player's enthusiasm for our third ARK: Survival Ascended map and look forward to getting it into your hands in just a few weeks!
This week, we're thrilled to unleash not one, but two of Garuga123's formidable creatures making their Official debut in ARK: the fearsome Ceratosaurus and the relentless Xiphactinus! Prepare to master these remarkable new additions! The challenge awaits—are you ready to rise to the occasion?

Additionally, we are excited to announce that Premium Mods will be released for Xbox and Windows on Monday, May 20th! PlayStation players, the certification process is still ongoing; you can expect Premium Mods to be available on your platform within a week. Thank you for your patience as we roll Premium Mods to all platforms.

Download in full resolution[drive.google.com]

Common Name: Ceratosaurus
Species: Ceratosaurus Punctura
Time: Late Jurassic
Diet: Carnivore
Temperament: Extremely Aggressive
While I'm surprised I haven't encountered them sooner, I'd rather them just vanish all-together. Ceratosaurus is as ruthless as they are quick. While not the most damaging carnivores you'll encounter, they are certainly some of the most persistent. I've seen these creatures even exhibit a sort of... stalking behavior unlike anything else I've seen on The Island. While they may not make themselves known to you immediately, they certainly know where YOU are!

The spines on Ceratosaurus have a very unique and powerful trait: Venom! This hemotoxin has the bizarre reaction with blood, making it incredibly nutritious to carnivores. The more intense the venom infection, the more beneficial the blood becomes. I've witnessed tribes that have managed to tame these beasts use it to great effect against larger threats, and even The Island's guardians!
Perhaps this desire to devour envenomed prey can be used against them...?

Download in full resolution[drive.google.com]

Common Name: Xiphactinus
Species: Xiphactinus Velox
Time: Late Cretaceous
Diet: Carnivore
Temperament: Frenzied
Xiphactinus Velox is a frighteningly fast creature, lurking in the Islands' oceans. Most often appearing in groups, Xiphactinus can quickly overwhelm its victims. They have been observed to grab smaller prey in their terrifying jaws and thrash wildly to deplete their energy. When subdued, they will proceed to swallow the prey whole, something I have witnessed befall many unfortunate survivors.

Beware Xiphactinus that have recently fed, as they will become frenzied from the clouds of blood they've created! For targets too large to be swallowed by its horrific maw, Xiphactinus will instead resort to tearing off a chunk of flesh, causing the target to begin bleeding out. On several occasions, I've noticed Xiphactinus will attack other ocean species such as Megalodon, and even larger threats such as Mosasaurus! Be glad that you're not their only target!

Xiphactinus make for excellent mounts for exploring the ARK's vast ocean environments. Their powerful jaws can be utilized to grab smaller prey, while leaving a nasty bleeding wound on larger opponents. With good maneuverability and a violent nature, any tribes partaking in sea warfare will be sure to have a shoal of their "Dire Tuna".
Download & play new custom content created by players, including new maps, creatures, items, and game modes, through a dedicated new Mod-browser directly within the game. Enjoy an endless stream of new ARK content as the creativity and talent of the community is fully unleashed for the first time across gaming platforms and stay tuned as we spotlight more Cross-Platform Mods each week!

This video features:

• Klinger Additional Skin Cosmetics Rustic Building[www.curseforge.com] by klingerMartin
  
• Deimos Cosmetics: Female Heroes[www.curseforge.com] by SurviveDeimos
  
• Arketypes: Bombardier Beetle[www.curseforge.com] by Snappin
  
• ARKOLOGY: New Encounters[www.curseforge.com] by DragonHeart7998
  
• Draconic Chronicles[www.curseforge.com] by Ave
  
• Western Decor[www.curseforge.com] by AaronLongstaff

• Klinger Additional Skin Cosmetics Rustic Building[www.curseforge.com] by klingerMartin
  
• Extreme Camo[www.curseforge.com] by AlmostNorma
  
• Klinger Additional Skin Cosmetics Rustic Building[www.curseforge.com] by klingerMartin
  
• Deimos Cosmetics: Female Heroes[www.curseforge.com] by SurviveDeimos

On April 8th, we deployed a new type of server across the network (for the various game types) that we refer to as "Expire" (which is what you can search for in the session filter).

These servers will be online until 10 am PST / 1 pm EST on June 1st. We're preemptively using our allocation for The Center to host some additional sessions that players can travel onto to farm, tame, and experience the Scorched Earth Gameplay. The same transfer restrictions apply in that you are only able to download your character, but you can freely take anything off. This is to help reduce load off some of the other servers, or provide players an option for those who just want to jump onto Scorched Earth temporarily.

Please note that these servers will no longer exist after 10 am PST / 1 pm EST on June 1st, so if you intend to use them, remember to transfer your items/creatures/characters off before that date, as nothing will be saved beyond that time period.

For the full list of the Expire servers, click here[survivetheark.com].
This weekend, the Official Network will be receiving bonus rates! It will be active until Monday, May 20.

• PVP/PVE: 2x Harvesting, Taming, and Experience, and Breeding
  
• Small Tribes: 4.5x Harvesting, Taming, and Experience + 4x Breeding
  
• ARKpocalypse: 5x Harvesting, Taming and Experience, and Breeding

Fan Art Gallery[survivetheark.com] | Screenshot Gallery[survivetheark.com] | Artist Feedback Form[docs.google.com]

Help us discover your talent by tagging your art with #ARKPhotoMode or #ARKFanart on social media!


Creator: BemoGuinness
Bemo is going to explore the secret cave located under Scorched Earth to find a place for a new base!
Creator: Syntac
Syntac hatches a beautiful lightning wyvern and takes it for a ride around Scorched Earth!
Sunrise by @WolfTek7
Part 8 of Drawing Every Dino Dossier by cascadingcaramel
My ark character by @Redensi
Draconis vipera by @MexiiCringe
Drop Hunting by CoypuCoyote
Shrooms by Kattona
King Titan Reference by BettleKettle
Lightning Wyvern by j21d1h
Guardian of the scorched lands by maxfer4s_xt
I'm looking forward to Xiphactinus! by @Muni_ark
Photo Mode by cosmicman5455
Have you seen my Casita build video from Disney's Encanto on ARK!? by @LolsAtLance
Enjoy your weekend!
Studio Wildcard

Twitter: twitter.com/survivetheark

Discord: discord.com/invite/playark

Reddit: reddit.com/r/playark

Instagram: instagram.com/survivetheark

Twitch: twitch.tv/survivetheark

Steam: steamcommunity.com/app/346110

Youtube: youtube.com/survivetheark

Facebook: facebook.com/survivetheark

Threads: threads.net/@survivetheark

Official Wiki: https://ark.wiki.gg/wiki/ARK_Survival_Evolved_Wiki