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ARK: Survival Evolved developers talk history & community

Studio Wildcard's finest spoke to Shacknews about ARK: Survival Evolved's community, bringing the game to life, and some of its best moments.

Brittany Vincent

July 28, 2020 4:35 PM

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ARK: Survival Evolved is an amalgam of some of the coolest parts of survival gaming and modern design. ARK has managed to accomplish so much in the five years it's been around that it feels like it's been much longer since the game debuted. We're always here for success stories like this one, so we knew we had to have a talk about it. 

Shacknews sat down with Lead Community Manager Cedric Burkes and Studio Wildcard co-founder Jesse Rapczak to chat about ARK: Survival Evolved's history as well as its community, which is part of what makes it such a special game to those who brought it to life.

The team discussed how they portray creatures like dinosaurs and other animals in-game, noting they try to strike a balance between science and functional characters for video games – though there's a lot that players can learn about dinosaurs from playing the game, even if they don't realize it up front.

The team has always done its best to listen to what the player community wants as well as the balancing tweaks the game needs to remain viable. With that in mind, the developers love to hear what players have to say about what's going on within ARK, and are always looking for ways to bridge the two worlds together.

It's absolutely fascinating listen to the developers chat about how their game has evolved (just like the title indicates) since its debut. Without a supportive community, passionate developers, and the drive from those who wish to see the game continue to change, it would no doubt be a totally different title today. Be sure to check out the Shacknews ARK: Survival Evolved page for more news and coverage of Studio Wildcard’s rockin' prehistoric title. 

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Brittany Vincent

Senior Editor

Fueled by horror, rainbow-sugar-pixel-rushes, and video games, Brittany is a Senior Editor at Shacknews who thrives on surrealism and ultraviolence. Follow her on Twitter @MolotovCupcake and check out her portfolio for more. Like a fabulous shooter once said, get psyched!