Ark Survival Ascended is about to unleash the kraken

Ark Survival Ascended is taking to the water in its next big update, which is coming as two pieces, arriving together on June 25. Genesis Ascended Part One will be free for all, adapting the fourth DLC from the original Survival Evolved for Studio Wildcard's modernized edition. Alongside it comes Tides of Fortune, a pirate adventure bringing new sailing ships and naval combat systems into the survival game. In addition to the developer's overhaul to Ark's water physics and the introduction of "a vast ocean playground," however, something much more terrifying lurks in the deep.

The Palaeoctopus is the tenth winner from the Ark Survival Ascended creature vote, and possibly its most intimidating. This colossal cephalopod is basically the kraken in all but name, and "outmaneuvering it is a losing game," according to Studio Wildcard. It "uses the environment as a weapon, dragging its weight across the verticality of the map to corner the unsuspecting. It thrives on chaos, seizing and holding anything within reach until the battlefield is under its complete control. If you're near the water, you're on its turf."

The good(?) news is that the Palaeoctopus will be free for everyone as part of Genesis Ascended. You'll have the chance to meet this beast even if you don't pick up the new paid expansion, which will be the first in a new 'Bob's True Tales' series (note that this is a separate thing from the previous 'Bob's Tall Tales'). "It seems we survivors have delved too far, and roused a phantasmic new sea monster from the depths," Studio Wildcard teases.

The Palaeoctopus sounds suitably nightmarish, quite frankly. It boasts chromatic camouflage that enables it to catch you unawares despite its size, and the combination of its crushing tentacles and vicious beak mean it can make quick work of prey. "In the rare event it needs to retreat underwater," its dossier notes, "Palaeoctopus can use its siphon to blast a threat backwards and jet away with surprising speed." It's even capable of dragging itself onto land, although it's mercifully less agile there.

The next question will naturally be, "So can I tame one?" Well, yes, but that sounds even more horrifying. Due to its resistance to tranquilizers, "you have to let it drag you in close for a crushing bite, and feed narcotics into its maw while keeping clear of that deadly beak." If you manage to pull it off, it becomes a fearsome ally, capable of climbing cliffs or mounting ships along with its ocean mobility, and it can even provide "any color of ink your heart desires." I'm still not sure the prize is worth the risk, however.

Ark Genesis Ascended and the Bob's True Tales: Tides of Fortune DLC launch on Thursday June 25. The latter will also introduce the Tidepup, an amphibian (and potential companion) that acts as a healer to any injured creatures it encounters. "Life at sea is about to become an adventure all its own," Studio Wildcard promises. Just keep your eyes peeled for tentacles on the horizon.