History VideoGame / ARKSurvivalEvolved

* ''Scorched Earth'', released on September 1st 2016[[note]]notably meaning it came out ''before'' the game left Early Access''[[/note]], added a desert-themed map, new creatures and engrams.

* ''Fjordur'', released on June 12, 2022'', features a new community-made, Norse-inspired map inhabited by new creatures like the ''Andrewsarchus''.

Unlike the Expansion packs, the free Expansion Maps are considered non-canon.

A {{sequel}} and AnimatedAdaptation, ''VideoGame/ARK2'' and ''[[WesternAnimation/ArkTheAnimatedSeries Ark: The Animated Series]]'', [[https://youtu.be/pUpbCL3HTNU were]] [[https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=9nvyh9hPoBM announced]] at the 2020 Game Awards. An UpdatedRerelease named ''ARK: Survival Ascended'' was announced on April 2023, planned to release on August 2023, featuring new content and updated graphics with all DLC included as a separate purchase from the original game. This remaster is planned to incorporate ''Survival of the Fittest'' as a game mode within the game rather than a separate product.

The game was released for UsefulNotes/{{Steam}} Early Access on 2nd June 2015, and the full version was released on 29 August 2017 on UsefulNotes/PlayStation4 and UsefulNotes/XboxOne as well as Steam. Several DLC expansion packs like ''The Center'', ''Scorched Earth'', ''Ragnarok'', ''Aberration'', ''Extinction'', ''Valguero'', ''Genesis: Part 1'', and ''Crystal Isles'' have been released, an expansion called ''Genesis: Part 2'' is in works, as well as a spinoff called ''ARK: Survival of the Fittest''. Another spinoff called ''ARK Park'' was released by Snail Games and Peacock Studio. A ''VideoGame/{{Minecraft}}''-inspired voxel-based spinoff called ''VideoGame/PixARK'' by Snail Games USA was released in Early Access. Both base Ark and ''[=PixARK=]'' have been announced for the UsefulNotes/NintendoSwitch.

The {{Sequel}} and AnimatedAdaptation, ''VideoGame/ARK2'' and ''[[WesternAnimation/ArkTheAnimatedSeries Ark: The Animated Series]]'' [[https://youtu.be/pUpbCL3HTNU were]] [[https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=9nvyh9hPoBM announced]] at the 2020 Game Awards.

** ''Castoroides feliconcisor'', or Beaver

** ''Iguanodon vicissitudinis''

** ''[[NocturnalMooks Megalosaurus noctedominus]]''

** ''[[SocialOrnithopod Parasaurolophus]] amphibio]]'', or Parasaur

** ''[[GentleGiantSauropod Brontosaurus lazarus]]'', or Bronto

** ''[[ZergRush Compsognathus curiosicarius]]'', or Compy

** ''[[SavageSpinosaurs Spinosaurus aquareliga]]'', or Spino

** ''[[TerrifyingTyrannosaur Tyrannosaurus dominum]]'', or Rex

** ''[[BewareMyStingerTail Ankylosaurus crassacutis]]''
** ''Baryonyx aquafulgur''
** ''Brontosaurus lazarus'', or Bronto

** ''[[RaptorAttack Deinonychus magna pede]]''
** ''[[Film/JurassicPark Dilophosaurus sputatrix]]'', or Dilo
** ''[[HerbivoresAreFriendly Diplo]][[TooDumbToLive docus]] insulaprincep''
** ''[[FragileSpeedster Gallimimus evolvelox]]''
** ''[[LightningBruiser Giganot]][[BossInMookClothing osaurus]] furiosa'', or Giga

** ''Kentrosaurus aethiopicus'', or Kentro

** ''Pachycephalosaurus leniproelia'', or Pachy
** ''Pachyrhinosaurus mitisaura''
** ''Parasaurolophus amphibio'', or Parasaur

** ''Stegosaurus regium'', or Stego

** ''Tyrannosaurus dominum'', or Rex

** ''[[FeatheredFiend Yutyrannus]] saevus''

** ''[[KingOfTheDinosaurs Tyrannosaurus]] dominum'', or Rex

** ''[[EverythingIsBetterWithPenguins Kairuku]] waitaki'', or Penguin

* EverythingsBetterWithPenguins: The ''Kairuku'', a large and very friendly prehistoric penguin.

** [[TemperCeratops ''Triceratops styrax'']], or Trike

*** The train scene from JurassicWorld along with the iconic gateway to the park.

%%* TheLostWoods: The Redwood Forests, located in the center region of the island.

* EverythingsBetterWithDinosaurs: One of the main draws of the game along with prehistoric mammals, giant bugs, and many other prehistoric beasties.

* [[StockDinosaurs Non-Avian Dinosaurs]]

** ''[[TurtlePower Carbonemys]] obibimus '', or Turtle

* TurtlePower: The ''Carbonemys'', a surprisingly formidable MightyGlacier despite being one of the most common animals in the game.
** The ''Genesis'' DLC introduced a giant six-legged turtle that you can build on.

** ''Andrewsarchus'' is portrayed as an omnivorous whippomorph similar to ''Daeodon'', instead of the outdated mesonychid restoration from ''Series/WalkingWithBeasts''.

** ''Andrewsarchus'' is portrayed as an omnivorous hoofed mammal similar to ''Daeodon'', instead of the outdated mesonychid restoration from ''Series/WalkingWithBeasts''.

** ''Spinosaurus aquareliga'', or Spino

** ''Triceratops styrax'', or Trike

* BigfootSasquatchAndYeti: The ''Gigantopithecus'' (A large ape which is believed by some to be the inspiration for bigfoot). Speaking of Yeti, the Yeti variant in the Snow Cave

* BonusBoss: The gigantic floating obelisks in the corners of the map are used to summon one of these.

* NeverSmileAtACrocodile: ''Sarcosuchus'' are never a pleasant encounter if one goes to a lake or the coasts. There's also the ''[[SeldomSeenSpecies Kaprosuchus]]'' which drains stamina with its attacks and can snatch you off your mount.

** ''[[SeldomSeenSpecies Pachyrhinosaurus]] mitisaura''

** ''[[SeldomSeenSpecies Pegomastax]] fructarator''

** ''[[SeldomSeenSpecies Purlovia]] maxima''

* SeldomSeenSpecies: The game has a surprising number of obscure prehistoric animals.

* StockDinosaurs: These are present, but the game mostly averts this. See SeldomSeenSpecies.

* SpaceWhale: The ''Astrocetus'' is a massive flying whale-like creature found in the Genesis Lunar Biome that has the power of {{Teleportation}}.

* ArtisticLicensePaleontology: Although the developers actually spent time researching the animals before designing them, they then stylized them for aesthetic's sake. While many animals display the usual inaccuracies (like lack of feathers), it's also worth pointing out that all of the animals on the island are fictional separate species of their genus, according to the dossiers, although more general inconsistencies remain -- for instance, no real-life raptors would have had largely scaly skin with large feathers on their forearms, heads and tails like the ones in the game, regardless of genus.

* LostWoods: The Redwood Forests, located in the center region of the island.
* LoveIsInTheAir: Wandering ''Oviraptor'' can emit pheromones to stimulate nearby creatures, reducing the cooldown between mating sessions or unfertilized egg-laying.

The {{Sequel}} and AnimatedAdaptation, ''VideoGame/ARK2'' and ''WesternAnimation/ArkTheAnimatedSeries'' [[https://youtu.be/pUpbCL3HTNU were]] [[https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=9nvyh9hPoBM announced]] at the 2020 Game Awards.