Every ARK: Survival Ascended Map: Free vs Paid, and Which to Run
Studio Wildcard committed to remastering the entire ARK: Survival Evolved DLC catalogue inside ARK: Survival Ascended across multiple years, plus brand-new content. The remastered maps are free for owners of the base game, but not everything is: original canonical expansions (Lost Colony), Adventure Packs (Tides of Fortune, $19.99) and expansion passes (Dragontopia, $29.99) are separate purchases. The full breakdown is in free vs paid below.
Sharing a server with PC, Xbox, and PS5 friends? See our guide on whether ARK: Survival Ascended is cross-platform. Every map ships with crossplay, but you need the right launch flags.
Released Maps (As of July 2026)
| Map | Released | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| The Island | Oct 2023 (base game) | The original launch map. |
| Scorched Earth | April 2024 | Desert biome, Wyverns, sandstorms, Manticore boss. |
| The Center | 2024 | Tropical archipelago + Underwater biome. |
| Aberration | 2024 | Underground radiation biome, Rock Drakes, Reaper Queens. |
| Extinction | 2024-2025 | Earth-corrupted biomes, OSDs, Element Veins. |
| Astraeos | 2025 | ARK: SA original map, Greek-mythology themed. |
| Ragnarok | June 2025 (with Bison creature) | Norse-themed, Mount Gunners, Wyvern Trench. See resource map. |
| Valguero | Oct 2025 (with Megaraptor + Elderclaw) | 63 km², chalk hills, aberration trench. See Valguero guide. |
| Lost Colony | Dec 19, 2025 | First paid canonical ARK: SA expansion; original story content. See server setup. |
| Genesis Ascended Part 1 (free) | July 3, 2026 (moved from June 25) | The Genesis simulation map rebuilt in UE5, free to anyone who owns the base game. Launched alongside the separately paid Tides of Fortune naval expansion ($19.99). |
2026 Schedule
| Map / DLC | Expected | Highlights |
|---|---|---|
| Genesis Ascended Part 1 (free) | Out now (July 3, 2026) | Shipped after a certification slip from June 25. Free with the base game; the Tides of Fortune naval expansion released the same day is a separate $19.99 purchase. |
| Genesis Part 2 (ARK: SA remaster) | TBA | No confirmed date; follows Genesis Part 1, whose July 3 launch reset the earlier cadence estimates. |
| Dragontopia | Rolling out now (through Dec 9, 2026) | Paid, non-canonical expansion pass made in-house by Wildcard. The dragons arrive in waves: shadow dragon Umbra first, light dragon Lumina on July 9, with further content drops in October and December culminating in a map-wide skyworld. |
| Fjordur (ARK: SA remaster) | December 2026 | Norse-realm map; free update at release. |
2027 Schedule
| Map / DLC | Expected | Highlights |
|---|---|---|
| Atlantis | 2027 | Builds on ocean systems from Tides of Fortune; deep underwater + naval gameplay. |
| Bob's True Tales: Galaxy Wars | With Genesis Pt 2 (~2027) | Space combat: star fighters, bombers, capital ships, planetoids. The biggest tonal shift in the roadmap. |
Free vs Paid Content
- The remastered map expansions are free to base-game owners (The Island through Genesis Ascended Part 1).
- Lost Colony is paid: the first original canonical expansion, not a remaster.
- Tides of Fortune is paid at $19.99: the naval Adventure Pack that launched the same day as the free Genesis Ascended Part 1. The two are routinely confused because they shipped together.
- Dragontopia is the exception: a paid, non-canonical expansion pass built in-house by Wildcard, rolling out in waves through December 9, 2026 (Umbra, then Lumina on July 9, more in October/December).
- Adventure Packs are optional paid bundles tied to map releases; they include unique creatures, cosmetics, and quest content. The map itself is still playable without them.
- Cosmetics + character skins (Bob, custom variants) are sold separately.
Crossplay Status by Map
Crossplay availability varies. PS5↔Xbox works on official servers; PC↔console is disabled on official PvP since January 2024 due to anti-cheat work. Unofficial servers can opt-in via -ServerPlatform=All. See our crossplay setup guide.
What to Pick If You're New
- The Island: start here. Less unique mechanics, more time learning the basics.
- Ragnarok: large, varied, strong community presence. See our resource guide.
- Valguero: newer (2025), more dense, all-in-one biome experience. See our map guide.
- Aberration: only after you've played another map. Steep learning curve.
- Genesis: mission-driven; strong if you want a structured campaign.
Migration Between Maps (Cluster Setup)
If you're running multiple maps, a cluster lets players move characters and tames between them. See our cluster setup and server migration guides.
Cover the whole roadmap. Host an ARK: Survival Ascended cluster with Supercraft and switch maps from a single panel as new DLC drops. Setting up the newest map? See Genesis Ascended server setup.
Looking for managed ARK: Survival Evolved server hosting? Supercraft runs ARK: Survival Evolved dedicated servers with daily backups, instant setup, and 5 region options. Plans from $5.99/mo.