ARK Survival Ascended Roadmap: 2026-2027 Release Tracker

ASA roadmap tracker Reviewed September 24, 2026
ARK: Survival Ascended’s roadmap now stretches across remastered story content, original expansions, creator tools, engine work, and a narrative bridge toward ARK 2. This page separates released content from scheduled and undated plans.
Current headline: Genesis Part 1, Tides of Fortune, and the Galleon are available. Studio Wildcard schedules Unreal Engine 5.8, the Therizinosaurus TLC, Cerberax, and Gargantar for September 30. World Creator has no separately confirmed launch date in that announcement. The longer-term roadmap remains a set of plans, not shipped content.
ARK release roadmap
The road to ARK 2.
Track what shipped, what is actively rolling out, and what remains a studio target.
Reviewed September 24, 2026 · Older plans are labeled separately
ARK Survival Ascended 2026–2027 status table
| Project | Status reviewed September 24, 2026 | Key point |
|---|---|---|
| Genesis Ascended Part 1 | Released | Launched in early July with a major ocean-biome overhaul. |
| Tides of Fortune | Released | Naval expansion with sailing, ships, progression, creatures, and structures. |
| Galleon | Released | Community Crunch 521 confirms availability alongside the completed Astraeos update. |
| Dragontopia | Rolling out; full world targeted for December | Day-one dragons are live before the map-wide skyworld release. |
| Survival of the Fittest refresh | Past July target; new timing unconfirmed | The May announcement is historical context, not an upcoming release date. |
| Unreal Engine 5.8 + creature updates | Scheduled for September 30, 2026 | Engine upgrade, Therizinosaurus TLC, Cerberax, and Gargantar; not yet marked released. |
| ASA World Creator | Announced; launch timing awaiting confirmation | Do not assume it ships with the September 30 engine update. |
| Atlantis | Q1 2027 plan | Water-oriented non-canonical map building on Tides systems. |
| Galaxy Wars / Genesis Part 2 | Q2 2027 plan | Space-focused continuation of Bob and Meeka’s story. |
| Legacy of Santiago | Q4 2027 plan | ARK 2 prequel intended to test mechanics planned for the sequel. |
The December and 2027 entries retain the earlier published roadmap targets; the September announcements do not reconfirm every future project. “Announced” means the studio described a plan, not that a release day is guaranteed.
Genesis Ascended Part 1 and Tides of Fortune are out
Studio Wildcard announced the release of Genesis Ascended Part 1 and Tides of Fortune in early July 2026. Genesis Part 1 retains its simulation structure and biome variety while adding Ascended upgrades, including a large overhaul of the ocean biome, updated legacy creatures and environments, multi-layer map support, and new creature variants.
Tides of Fortune expands that ocean work into a naval system. Its launch features include wind-driven sailing, broadside combat, ship progression, a Sloop, a Brigantine, a Shipyard, a server-wide Market, a Bounty Board, and new tameable companions such as the Tidepup and Parrot. The Galleon subsequently launched; Community Crunch 521 confirms its availability alongside the completed Astraeos update.
For players choosing what to try now, Genesis Part 1, Tides of Fortune, and the Galleon belong in the released column. They should not be confused with the next scheduled update.
Dragontopia is the major December project
Dragontopia is described as a non-canonical world of fire, stone, and sky. Its day-one creatures and progression started rolling out in July. Studio Wildcard presents the December phase as a map-wide skyworld with floating landmasses, procedural shattered islands, enemy outposts, aerial phenomena, new items and vehicles, and a larger roster of dragons.
The concept also introduces Dragon Skill Trees, a progression system centered on building a stronger bond with mythical creatures. December is the announced target, but players should still watch for certification and platform timing as the date approaches.
Roadmap rule: shipped beats scheduled
When an item releases, this tracker moves it out of the “upcoming” list. When a date changes, we preserve the new status instead of quietly rewriting history.
Atlantis, Galaxy Wars, and Legacy of Santiago
Atlantis
Atlantis is planned for Q1 2027 as a non-canonical map focused on water-oriented world design. Studio Wildcard says it will build on the dynamic seas and systems introduced through Tides of Fortune, extending the experience from the surface into a large sunken city.
Galaxy Wars and Genesis Part 2
Bob’s True Tales: Galaxy Wars is planned for Q2 2027 and is intended to continue and conclude Bob and Meeka’s journey while a revamped Genesis Part 2 expands into a map-sized outer-space biome. The roadmap mentions starfighters, bombers, capital ships, and colonizable planetoids. Those are announced concepts, not a final feature checklist.
Legacy of Santiago
Legacy of Santiago is planned for Q4 2027 and is the roadmap’s clearest narrative bridge toward the future of the franchise. Studio Wildcard describes it as an ARK 2 prequel that will introduce and test redesigned mechanics intended for the sequel.
Unreal Engine work, performance, and World Creator
The older Unreal Engine 5.7 target has been superseded by the September 30 schedule for Unreal Engine 5.8. Community Crunch 524 repeats that date. Before updating a modded server, check the released patch notes and mod compatibility; an announced schedule is not proof that a build has shipped. World Creator was linked to an earlier engine plan, but the newer announcement does not establish its launch date.
ASA World Creator is planned as a more approachable, in-game alternative to learning the full ARK Dev Kit. The announced toolset includes placing and modifying actors, editing world settings, configuring volumes and spawners, applying mods and skin packs, and using simple functional text scripting. It is intended to let creators build or edit worlds from any ASA platform and share them through the Mod Browser.
Other content expected through 2026–2027
The official roadmap also points to more creature TLC passes, holiday events, quality-of-life work, upgraded legacy maps, and new creatures. The May Survival of the Fittest update described work by Studio Sirens and a July target. July has passed, and the sources reviewed for this page do not establish a replacement date or launch confirmation. Treat that target as historical, not upcoming.
These broad categories are important, but they should not be turned into invented dates. A weekly Community Crunch or patch note can supersede a high-level roadmap at any time.
How to follow the roadmap accurately
- Start with Studio Wildcard’s latest Community Crunch.
- Check launch posts and patch notes to confirm what actually shipped.
- Separate free remastered content from paid or premium expansions.
- Check platform certification notes when console timing matters.
- Review server and mod compatibility before updating a live cluster.
Return to the ARK: Survival Ascended hub for the latest articles. Server owners should pair roadmap planning with our ASA server settings guide, especially before adding a new map or mod set.
ASA roadmap FAQ
Is Genesis Ascended Part 1 released?
Yes. Studio Wildcard announced Genesis Ascended Part 1 and Tides of Fortune as released in early July 2026.
When is Dragontopia planned?
Its first creatures and progression are live, while the official 2026 roadmap targets December for the map-wide skyworld. Treat December as an announced plan until that phase launches.
Does Legacy of Santiago replace ARK 2?
No official source says that. It is described as a standalone expansion series and part of ARK’s future, while ARK 2 remains separately listed on Steam and Xbox.
Primary sources
- Community Crunch 490: The Future is Bright
- Community Crunch 505: roadmap timing update
- Genesis Part 1 and Tides of Fortune launch announcement
- Studio Wildcard interview on the 2028 ARK 2 target
- Community Crunch 521: Galleon launch confirmation
- Community Crunch 524: September 30 schedule
Reviewed September 24, 2026. Roadmap timing may change after publication.
Editorial review
How this guide was prepared
Written and maintained by ZeroCool for ARK2.com. Important release, platform, roadmap, mod, and configuration claims are checked against the primary references linked in the guide.
- Fact-checked
- September 24, 2026
- Last updated
- September 24, 2026
- Standards
- Read our editorial policy
- Found an error?
- Request a correction
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