The first expansion for the Genesis Season Pass of ARK: Survival Evolved is on the way, and will launch sometime in December of this year. Ahead of its release, Studio Wildcard are teasing what we can expect in it.
One of the teaser trailers is for the Lunar Biome environment. The Lunar Biome has a number of new gameplay mechanics, and the low-gravity and strange light cycles can be seen in the teaser, where a pod of some whale-like creature swims through the sky, followed by trails of flight. These strange creatures look to be the Astrocetus, a species only found in the Lunar Biome. The teaser for the Lunar Biome looks peaceful enough, but the environment will have its dangers; meteor bombardments, electrical storms, and an irradiating sunlight which will damage any players exposed to it.
Next is the bizarre Bloodstalker; a creature which looks like a cross between an insect and an octopus. It’s an otherworldly being, and apparently if you wear it like a backpack (or it wears you like a baby carrier) you can make a quick escape, by letting it produce vines which can stick to trees and the surface of the ground to swing you away. It looks as though it can use these same vines to grab and entrap unsuspecting players. This, coupled with the fact that these creatures have an aggressive temperament, means caution is needed when approaching a wild one. There’s also a teaser trailer for the Magmasaur; a molten creature which looks a little like a giant bearded dragon. It has fireball attacks, is made up of a fiery core, and lives in a volcanic region, so it’s highly dangerous to go up against.
There’s several new weapons teased as well: the Cruise Missile, the TEK Shoulder Cannon. There’s also a new item; a fishing net. The Cruise Missile is a shoulder weapon which can then be remotely controlled and targeted. The missiles themselves can apparently be written on, or players can jump on the missile and go with it to its destination. The TEK Shoulder Cannon lets players decide what it recognises as a threat; it will then seemingly act on its own, and its on-board targeting system will then operate by itself. The fishing net is a little less dramatic. Its trailer shows players struggling with fishing rods, whilst another player gets by just fine with the fishing net. It can trap multiple fish, and can net you additional rewards, but it’s a one-time use item.
The Genesis expansion is planned for December 2019.