Ark Survival Ascended gets a surprise Xbox release, but open-world survival fans will have to wait on PS5

Ark Survival Ascended dinosaur fight
(Image credit: Studio Wildcard)

Ark Survival Ascended has got another Xbox release date and dang is it soon. 

Developer Studio Wildcard reveals in a new Twitter post that the open-world survival game is coming to Xbox today (November 21) at 9am PT / 12pm ET / 5pm GMT. 

We've had a few missed release dates for Ark's Unreal Engine 5 glow-up this year due to certification issues with Microsft and the like, though everything appears to be ironed out for now – so we hope.

The developer goes on to say the new set of official servers isn't going online until a few hours after launch, as that'll give everyone a chance to download the game. "This will ensure everyone has a fair chance to join the game and experience Ark Survival Ascended. The new official servers will also go offline with bonus rates (for a period of time) to allow for everyone to catch up." 

What Studio Wildcard is saying there is that specific initiatives are in play to allow Xbox players to catch up with others who have been playing Ark Survival Ascended on PC. 

As for PlayStation fans, the release has been delayed. While Studio Wildcard had hoped for a late-November release, it's now looking like early December. The team has apparently encountered issues that will require "additional time." 

"We're working diligently to bring you the best possible cross-platform experience, and we appreciate your patience and understanding. We'll continue to provide updates on the PlayStation release as we make progress."

Ark's shiny new remake put it right back where it started on PC: in Early Access facing mixed reviews and performance complaints.

Deputy News Editor

Iain joins the GamesRadar team as Deputy News Editor following stints at PCGamesN and PocketGamer.Biz, with some freelance for Kotaku UK, RockPaperShotgun, and VG24/7 thrown in for good measure. When not helping Ali run the news team, he can be found digging into communities for stories – the sillier the better. When he isn’t pillaging the depths of Final Fantasy 14 for a swanky new hat, you’ll find him amassing an army of Pokemon plushies.