Multiplayer dinosaur-riding island-surviv-a-thon series Ark: Survival Evolved has taken inspiration from my fever dreams and will be introducing giant sea turtles who double as islands which then double as an open construction site for your future home.

The next chapter in the ongoing Ark saga, known as Ark: Genesis, will be made up of two hefty expansion packs. These will introduce tameable albeit shapeshifting animals – new biomes, and something that’s being referred to as “mission-based game mechanics” which I can only assume is a genetically mutated version of story-based missions. But frankly, it’s all about my future tortoise island paradise.

(more…)

Now I’m no Tricky Dicky Dawkins – I’ve never watched dogs 69ing, for starters – but I do know the definition of, and delineation between, species is hazy. Consider the case of Ark: Survival of the Fittest [official site]. The multiplayer Battle Royale ’em up started as a mode for crafty survival sandbox Ark: Survival Evolved. A subspecies, right? Then it was spun off into a standalone free-to-play game. Separate species? Not quite: Survival of the Fittest is now merged back into Survival Evolved so it can use the Development Kit mod tools. Mutation merging to spawn new mutations? I don’t know, man. 6,000 years old and this Earth is still full of surprises.

… [visit site to read more]

The trend of splitting games into two continues. ARK: Survival Evolved is carving off its competitive, Battle Royale-inspired Survival of the Fittest mode into a standalone free-to-play spin-off game of the same name. ARK: Survival of the Fittest [official site] challenges 72 players (or 200 on unofficial servers) to be the last person or team standing in an ever-shrinking arena. It’s out now on Early Access.

… [visit site to read more]