ARK Lost Colony Reveals Demonic Malwyn + Wildcard Already Working in Unreal Engine 5.7
Studio Wildcard is moving full speed ahead with new Ark development, including Ark Lost Colony and even the long-term future of Ark 2. This week brought huge reveals—new creatures, engine updates, and major TLC shakeups.
Wildcard Already Developing With Unreal Engine 5.7
Even though Ark: Survival Ascended currently runs on Unreal Engine 5.5, the team is already using Unreal Engine 5.7 internally. Earlier this year, the Lost Colony trailer was created using UE 5.6 with Metahuman technology, and now Wildcard is hiring a physics expert specifically experienced with Chaos Cloth, collision, rigging, and other UE 5.7 tools.
This likely ties into cinematic storytelling for Ark Lost Colony and future Ark content—including an unannounced DLC planned after Lost Colony. While Wildcard has said they won’t upgrade the game engine more than once per year, the next full upgrade likely won’t arrive until summer 2025 or later.
The New Lost Colony Reveal: The Malwyn
One of the biggest reveals this week is the evolution form of the Veilwyn. Earlier this year, Wildcard confirmed the Veilwyn would evolve into two separate forms with the launch of Lost Colony. One of these forms is now confirmed:
Meet the Malwyn
A demonic, gothic, and ruthlessly efficient evolution of the Veilwyn. The Malwyn is described as:
- Cold-hearted and built purely for execution
- Infused with a strange red substance
- A mount designed for target identification and elimination
- Equipped with abilities that weaken and slow enemies
The red substance strongly resembles red element—previously shown infused in the Ossidon—but Wildcard specifically called it a “strange substance,” suggesting something new may be at play.
Ark Lost Colony’s dark, gothic environment seems perfect for the Malwyn. This map appears even more dangerous than Aberration, raising questions about whether its difficulty will remain high after players begin taming stronger creatures.
Release Date Approaching Fast
Ark Lost Colony is still scheduled for December 16th. Based on everything shown so far, this map may very well become the hardest survival experience in Ark history.
TLC Updates: Quetzal & Araneo Confirmed + A $5,000 Surprise
The TLC vote continues to shift dramatically thanks to last-minute donations:
- Araneo – Confirmed
- Quetzal – Confirmed after a huge $2,000 boost
The Allosaurus shocked everyone with a massive $5,000 donation, pushing it into 6th place. While only the top five creatures will receive TLC upgrades, this proves anything can happen until the voting closes.
As of now, the Giga is expected to lock in next Friday.
A New Era Is Coming
With Ark Lost Colony on the horizon, future DLC already planned, and foundational development for Ark 2 underway, the Ark franchise is entering a new phase of growth. If you’re looking for the top community experience with competitive servers, events, and wipes, check out EliteArk.
Ark Lost Colony breakdown here: Ark Ossidon Reveal.
Your Thoughts?
Do you believe Ark Lost Colony will become the hardest map so far?