ARK II & Animated Series Announcement

Studio Wildcard, creators of ARK: Survival Evolved, had a lot to reveal at the Game Awards 2020 this year. Three years after the 1.0 release of their hit survival title, Wildcard debuted their upcoming sequel ARK II with an exciting trailer. To the surprise of all those tuned into the reveal, Fast & Furious movie star Vin Diesel was the focal point of the trailer. Wildcard also announced that Diesel will be joining the production team as the "President of Creative Convergence". In the same breath, Studio Wildcard revealed that an animated series based on the ARK universe will be coming in the same year as the game sequel, 2022. Diesel will voice the character "Santiago" in both the game sequel and the upcoming TV show, ARK: The Animated Series. Diesel's role in both projects will serve as a tie-in, linking the game universe and the show.

To the surprise of many, Diesel is a big fan of the original ARK: Survival Evolved, reportedly logging thousands of hours of gameplay. According to Doug Kennedy, CEO of Studio Wildcard, "[Diesel] understands the game intimately and is providing direct feedback to the development process." Diesel is looking to cement his role as a partner of the game studio and Executive Producer of the animated series. Both Diesel and Kennedy are planning for the expansion of the ARK franchise in the coming years.

ARK: The Animated Series will follow "Helena Walker", a 21st-century Australian paleontologist and an important character in the first game. The series will be an adventure of survival and excitement, as Walker seeks to uncover the true nature of the strange new world. It's still unclear how Diesel’s character "Santiago" will become involved in Walker’s adventure, but given his high profile status, there's no doubt that he will be a major character of the animated series.

ARK II promises to thrust players into an exciting new sandbox of primitive survival, fighting against wildlife, other humans, and the environment. Currently, little is known about ARK II, but Studio Wildcard will surely give fans of the series much to be excited about once development progresses far enough.

Be sure to stay tuned to GameGrin for any news and updates regarding these additions to the ARK franchise.