Ark’s Genesis expansion will bring a giant turtle fortress and companion AI character

“This is not Ark 2.”

This secret message was discovered by some fans, appearing on the Ark: Survival Evolved teaser page. Now, it’s officially confirmed. We won’t have the next Ark: Survival Evolved. Instead, Studio Wildcard announced two new expansions titled Ark: Genesis. The first Genesis pack will launch this December, while the other is expected to launch in the second half of the year. You can check out the full trailer for the expansion below.

In addition to a new map, new story, and some interesting creatures – including a giant tortoise so you can build a fortress on your back – Ark: Genesis also adds new characters.

“With Genesis, we are introducing the first talking character into Ark, who will accompany you in the game, in the form of HLN-A,” said Jesse Rapczak, art director and creative director of Studio Wild Cards let me know.

HLN-A (short for Human Learning Neural Aid) is a fully voiced AI. It will follow you, chat, give quests and tell stories about the Ark. Specifically, HLN-A refers to Helena, the biologist who created this companion AI name.

“Rather than just a sandbox survival game,” says Rapczak, “Genesis will take Ark in a story-driven way, and encounter a final boss, to uncover the next chapters of the story the studio wants to tell.”

While we have to wait until December to experience the first part of Genesis, the season pass is available for pre-order now. And if you buy it right away, you’ll get access to the first version of HLN-A in the Ark.

According to Rapczak, HLN-A will work in any current Ark map, following the player, chatting and reacting to the player’s actions. In addition, the HLN-A also serves as a flashlight in dark areas, and performs a number of other functions.

In the months leading up to Genesis’ release, Rapczak said the team could use HLN-A to tell a bit about the Genesis expansion’s plot to those who pre-ordered the season pass. You can still play Ark with your friends and they can see HLN-A following you.

As for the Genesis map, it will have many different ecosystems including flaming areas, home to giant fire lizards (pictured above), and an elevated “snow mountain” area with challenges. difficult survival. In addition, Genesis also has a shoulder pet named “Tiny”, which can transform into a monster when it sees the Element, one of the Ark’s resources.

This time, the game will have more giant turtles and you can build on their shells. You can also collect resources on its back and use its oxygen when the turtle dives.

If you wonder why Ark got another expansion and not a sequel, Rapczak says it’s partly due to the overwhelming response from previous expansions. They have helped keep Ark in the top 10 most played games on Steam for the past two years. “The game has a long lifespan and the community is extremely enthusiastic about the game.”

You can learn about Ark on the official website.