It came as a disappointing blow to many when it was revealed earlier this week that Ark 2 had received a substantial delay pushing the game back to the end of 2024.
This has left many players wondering what this means for Ark 2’s Closed Beta. The official statement from the game’s developer Studio Wildcard implies that there’s quite a bit of work to be done on the game before it’s passed over to players for testing.
There could be a bit of a wait on our hands before we get to tangle with pre-historic beasts again. Here’s everything we know about Ark 2’s Closed Beta start and end dates.
When Does Ark 2's Closed Beta Start and End?
For now, all we know definitively is that Ark 2’s Closed Beta will be playable next year and is set to last for at least a month. Xbox and PC players will have access to the Beta if they purchase the Ark Respawned Bundle which contains the remastered version of Ark: Survival Evolved and Ark 2.
A little detective work though might point to a general indicator of when the Closed Beta could kick off. In the blog post on Ark’s official website, Studio Wildcard notes that the Respawned Bundle will only be available to purchase from the end of August for up to a year. After which Ark 2 and Ark: Survival Ascended will be sold separately. This suggests that the Closed Beta will kick off in August 2024 and conclude on September 2024.
Why Was Ark 2 Delayed?
Ark 2 was delayed due to Studio Wildcard needing more time to adjust to Unreal Engine 5. The development team described Unreal Engine 5 as “a next-generation paradigm” that requires new workflows and pipelines to accommodate the new technology. The delay will allow the team to adapt and fully utilize Unreal Engine 5. The ultimate purpose of the delay is to increase the final quality of the game and contribute to “the betterment of the team”. That’s everything we know about Ark 2’s Closed Beta’s start and end dates.
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