Studio Wildcard’s Ark Survival Ascended is officially in active development for Nintendo Switch 2, with the game studio harnessing the advanced capabilities of Unreal Engine 5.7.
This move is set to bring the remastered dinosaur survival experience to the latest iteration of Nintendo hardware, signaling a major technical leap forward for the franchise on handheld consoles. Ark Survival Ascended—an enhanced remaster of the original Ark: Survival Evolved—has garnered a dedicated following since its initial launch.
Originally released for various platforms including the Nintendo Switch, Ark Survival Evolved gained recognition for its engaging multiplayer gameplay and prehistoric world-building mechanics.
However, the Switch version was previously hampered by technical limitations that affected performance and visual fidelity. Now, thanks to the evolving hardware of Nintendo Switch 2 and advancements in Unreal Engine, Studio Wildcard is preparing to offer the definitive version of Ark Survival Ascended for Nintendo fans.
In a recent interview, Jeremy Stieglitz, co-founder and development director at Studio Wildcard, confirmed that the title is currently being actively developed for Nintendo’s next-generation platform.
Stieglitz emphasized that the undertaking has only become possible due to the significant enhancements provided by Unreal Engine 5.7. "We're continuing to work diligently on Ark Survival Ascended for Nintendo Switch 2," Stieglitz stated.
"Development is ongoing, and while we can't provide a release date just yet due to some remaining variables, we do have working builds running on Nintendo Switch 2 hardware.
The recent improvements to Unreal Engine—especially nanite tessellation in version 5.7—have made achieving performance targets feasible.
Prior to these updates, bringing Ark Survival Ascended to this console simply wasn’t possible." Studio Wildcard, having previously operated on Unreal Engine 5.5, is now prioritizing the transition to Unreal Engine 5.7.
According to Stieglitz, the team expects to complete the engine upgrade by the end of March 2026, allowing for enhanced debugging and optimization across all platforms, including the Nintendo Switch 2. Ark Survival Ascended is not a wholly new game; it stands as a robust remaster of Ark: Survival Evolved, which first appeared on Nintendo Switch and other platforms.
Despite mixed reception following its early access launch, the title remains a fixture in the survival genre.
The promise of leveraging Nintendo Switch 2’s improved hardware alongside Unreal Engine 5.7’s advanced features marks a pivotal moment for the series and may offer gamers the polished, high-performance experience they have been anticipating. Fans can look forward to further updates as Studio Wildcard continues to refine Ark Survival Ascended.
The transition to Nintendo Switch 2 and Unreal Engine 5.7 positions the title as one of the most anticipated remastered releases for Nintendo’s upcoming console, reinforcing the developer’s commitment to bringing high-quality experiences to the eShop and beyond.
This move is set to bring the remastered dinosaur survival experience to the latest iteration of Nintendo hardware, signaling a major technical leap forward for the franchise on handheld consoles. Ark Survival Ascended—an enhanced remaster of the original Ark: Survival Evolved—has garnered a dedicated following since its initial launch.
Originally released for various platforms including the Nintendo Switch, Ark Survival Evolved gained recognition for its engaging multiplayer gameplay and prehistoric world-building mechanics.
However, the Switch version was previously hampered by technical limitations that affected performance and visual fidelity. Now, thanks to the evolving hardware of Nintendo Switch 2 and advancements in Unreal Engine, Studio Wildcard is preparing to offer the definitive version of Ark Survival Ascended for Nintendo fans.
In a recent interview, Jeremy Stieglitz, co-founder and development director at Studio Wildcard, confirmed that the title is currently being actively developed for Nintendo’s next-generation platform.
Stieglitz emphasized that the undertaking has only become possible due to the significant enhancements provided by Unreal Engine 5.7. "We're continuing to work diligently on Ark Survival Ascended for Nintendo Switch 2," Stieglitz stated.
"Development is ongoing, and while we can't provide a release date just yet due to some remaining variables, we do have working builds running on Nintendo Switch 2 hardware.
The recent improvements to Unreal Engine—especially nanite tessellation in version 5.7—have made achieving performance targets feasible.
Prior to these updates, bringing Ark Survival Ascended to this console simply wasn’t possible." Studio Wildcard, having previously operated on Unreal Engine 5.5, is now prioritizing the transition to Unreal Engine 5.7.
According to Stieglitz, the team expects to complete the engine upgrade by the end of March 2026, allowing for enhanced debugging and optimization across all platforms, including the Nintendo Switch 2. Ark Survival Ascended is not a wholly new game; it stands as a robust remaster of Ark: Survival Evolved, which first appeared on Nintendo Switch and other platforms.
Despite mixed reception following its early access launch, the title remains a fixture in the survival genre.
The promise of leveraging Nintendo Switch 2’s improved hardware alongside Unreal Engine 5.7’s advanced features marks a pivotal moment for the series and may offer gamers the polished, high-performance experience they have been anticipating. Fans can look forward to further updates as Studio Wildcard continues to refine Ark Survival Ascended.
The transition to Nintendo Switch 2 and Unreal Engine 5.7 positions the title as one of the most anticipated remastered releases for Nintendo’s upcoming console, reinforcing the developer’s commitment to bringing high-quality experiences to the eShop and beyond.
