The world of survival games just got a whole lot more exciting. Right now, Ark: Survival Evolved is on sale with a whopping 70% discount on Steam. That brings the price down from $46.99 to just $14.09. This deal is only valid until June 9, 2025, at 10 am, so act fast. With over 730,000 reviews and a “very positive” rating, you know you’re getting a great game. Plus, it has active community support and modding capabilities through Steam Workshop.
Ark is an open-world survival game developed by Studio Wildcard using Unreal Engine 4. It was launched on August 29, 2017. In Ark, you wake up naked on a mysterious island filled with dinosaurs. Your goal is to collect resources, build shelter, tame creatures, grow crops, and cooperate or compete with other players. The choice is yours: go solo or join multiplayer servers for extra challenges.
Graphics and Performance
The game boasts “hyper-realistic” visuals with dynamic lighting, volumetric cloud simulations, and weather conditions like rain, fog, and snow. It also supports DirectX 11/12. The graphics are impressive, but they require some serious hardware muscle. The “Epic” modes demand powerful GPUs.
Hardware Requirements
To play Ark, you’ll need:
- OS: Windows 7/8.1/10 (64-bit)
- Processor: Intel Core i5-2400/AMD FX-8320
- Memory: 8 GB RAM
- Graphics Card: NVIDIA GTX 670 2GB/AMD Radeon HD 7870 2GB
- DirectX: Version 10
- Storage: 60 GB available space
Specialized sites claim that graphics cards like the GeForce RTX 3060 can render the game at 1080p with medium to high settings (85-100 FPS). Keep in mind that the minimum requirements will let you play the game at low settings, but for a full visual experience, you’ll need a more modern graphics card.
Tips and Context
Here are some useful tips:
- The game consumes a lot of CPU and RAM as your base and population grow. For 1080p “High” or above, you’ll want an Intel i5-4670K or AMD Ryzen 5 1500X processor.
- Make sure your graphics drivers are up to date, and be cautious with mods – they can cause instability or performance drops.
- Steam makes it easy to switch between single-player, private servers, and community Workshop content.
- The game takes up 60 GB, so an SSD is crucial for loading times and overall performance.
- Despite being released in 2017, Ark still receives regular updates (around 250 patches over the years).
- There’s also a sequel, “Ark: Survival Ascended,” launched in 2023, with even more modern graphics, but its current price is still higher.