Popular survival-crafting dinosaur game ARK: Survival Evolved is getting a huge DLC update on Switch. The Ultimate Survivor edition has been slightly delayed from its original October 25 release date into early November, finally adding years of DLC to the Switch version.
The Ultimate Survivor Upgrade can be purchased separately, or as part of the season pass.
A big update is launching alongside the upgrade. The update overhauls the graphics, rebuilding the game in the latest version of Unreal with improved visuals, performance, and reduced install size.
Ultimate Survivor also adds all of the previously released DLC through a staggered release schedule. Scorched Earth will be available on launch. Aberration will unlock in December, with Extinction and Genesis coming in 2023.
Note that these are massive worlds that add a ton of content to the game. Each map requires 1-2 GB of space as optional downloads.
One of the most interesting new aspects included in the Switch update is an educational mode: Dinosaur Discovery. Similar to Discovery Tour in the most recent Assassin Creed games, Dinosaur Discovery is a worry-free, kid-friendly mode that uses the game to teach prehistoric facts. The simple controls are playable using a single Joy-Con.
In the above trailer, Dinosaur Discovery is shown at 2:39, and looks super cute.
ARK: Dinosaur Discovery is free for owners of any version of ARK: Survival Evolved. It can also be purchased separately on the Nintendo eShop as a Switch exclusive.
ARK: Ultimate Survivor Edition is rated T for Teen.
