Ark Genesis Ascended and the Tides of Fortune DLC have been delayed for "a smoother launch"

There's a running joke among Ark: Survival Ascended players that the first date given for any new DLC is never the final one. While I would always caution against universal truth, Studio Wildcard has just confirmed that the free Ark: Genesis Ascended expansion and its accompanying Tides of Fortune DLC have been delayed into July. Previously scheduled to arrive this coming week on Thursday June 25, they've now been nudged back by seven days "to ensure a smoother launch for everyone."

The new pair of add-ons pack in plenty to look forward to. Genesis Ascended Part One is the first half of the Evolved DLC of the same name, remade as a free expansion for Ark: Survival Ascended. It will introduce a cluster of new creatures and biome-specific variants of existing ones, spread across five distinct mini-maps. These include cosmic whale the Astrocetus, vicious underwater predator the Bloodstalker, and even the Kraken - sorry, Palaeoctopus.

Tides of Fortune, meanwhile, is a pirate-themed adventure that essentially wraps the short-lived 2018 survival game Atlas into Ark. Developed by Studio Wildcard's sister team Grapeshot Games, Atlas never escaped the shadow of its older sibling, and was eventually left to sail out into the horizon. However, the expertise gained there has since been brought back across to Ark: Survival Ascended for this new, boat-building naval escapade.

Unfortunately, we'll have to wait another week to get our hands on the pair. "We're incredibly excited to get Ark: Genesis Ascended Part 1 and Ark: Tides of Fortune into your hands, with all of the new features and gameplay systems that they add," Studio Wildcard writes. "To ensure the experience is where we want it to be across all platforms, we need a few extra days to complete final certification and apply the finishing touches ahead of launch."

This isn't the first time the launch window has moved - Genesis Part One was originally loosely pinned for February 2025 back in the original Survival Ascended roadmap - although given that we just recently got a concrete date, I was quietly hoping this one would stick. "The team has been hard at work bringing these expansions to life, and this additional time will allow us to ensure a smoother launch for everyone," Studio Wildcard explains. "We know you're eager to set sail, and we truly appreciate your patience and support as we navigate the final stretch."

The new Ark Genesis Ascended release date is Thursday July 2, and Bob's True Tales: Tides of Fortune will release on the same day. I'm always in favor of games taking the extra time needed to ensure a release lands smoothly, although it can certainly feel frustrating if you'd already made plans for launch. Hopefully this delay will at least iron out any major teething problems.