Do these 3 things before closing this tab:
1Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitches2Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errors3Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minuteARK: Survival Evolved left Early Access on August 29, 2017. Studio Wildcard called it a full digital and retail release; that day, the Xbox One version also moved out of Xbox Game Preview, while Steam’s announcement record listed the PC game as available.
What happened on August 29, 2017?
Studio Wildcard administrator Jatheish announced the milestone in the studio’s official community post: “Today, ARK: Survival Evolved has made its transition from an Early Access title to a full Digital and Retail release.” Studio Wildcard’s launch-day announcement framed the change as the game’s move to full release, not a new game launch years later.
| # | Preview | Product | Price | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |
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ARK: Survival Evolved (PS4) | $18.99 | Buy on Amazon |
| 2 |
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ARK: Survival Evolved - Xbox One | $23.99 | Buy on Amazon |
| 3 |
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ARK: Survival Evolved (Nintendo Switch) | $35.49 | Buy on Amazon |
| 4 |
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ARK: Survival Evolved - Xbox One (Renewed) | $21.26 | Buy on Amazon |
| 5 |
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ARK Survival Evolved Definitive Complete Guide & Walkthrough (Latest Update 2025) All Strategies,... | $15.99 | Buy on Amazon |
The wording covered both digital distribution and retail. Jatheish also wrote that the studio was excited to “finally be able to hold the complete ARK disc.” That confirms the publisher described a physical retail release, but it does not establish current stock or the contents of any particular edition.
How the date differed by platform
The release milestone was August 29, 2017, but the earlier access programs were platform-specific. Steam described ARK as arriving in Early Access in 2015 and called the period two years in its 2017 announcement—a rounded summary, not an exact duration. Xbox Wire’s retrospective says the Xbox version entered Xbox Game Preview in December 2015.
#1 Best Overall
- Use cunning strategy and tactics to tame, train, ride and breed the 100+ dinosaurs and other primeval creatures roaming the dynamic, persistent ecosystems across land, sea, air, and even underground Build your character's strengths and gain items, skills, and pet creatures using in-depth role-playing systems
- Start a tribe with hundreds of other players to survive and dominate competing tribes...and ultimately discover ARK's true purpose
- Build a fire or shelter, then craft customizable clothing & armors to help protect against damage and extreme temperatures on your way to unlocking advanced technologies and equipment
- Chop down trees and mine metal and other precious resources to build massive multi-leveled structures composed of complex snap-linked parts
- PC on Steam: The Steam announcement listed ARK as available on August 29, 2017.
- Xbox One: Xbox Wire reported that the game transitioned from Xbox Game Preview to release on August 29. See Xbox Wire’s release-day report.
These platform accounts support the same full-release date without implying that every platform had identical content or performance.
What Studio Wildcard said the launch build included
In its launch-day description, Studio Wildcard said the release included four ARKs, five bosses, and more than one hundred creatures to tame and encounter. The studio also listed Primitive+ as an alternate game mode, procedural ARKs, hundreds of mods, interface overhauls, performance improvements, bug fixes, quality-of-life improvements, and additional gameplay and story content.
Rank #2
- Capture and Tame Dinosaurs: Discover over 100 different dinosaurs and prehistoric creatures on the island, finding ways to tame them into useful additions for your tribe's dino herd
- Survive Above All: Hunger, thirst, basic safety, and protecting yourself from the weather are all part of the game
- Harvest, Hunt and Build: Cut down trees and turn them into a basic home, which you can quickly expand into a Jurassic estate. Hunt for meat, scavenge for plants (or start your own garden!)
- Customize Everything: An extensive crafting system invites you to mix and match materials scavenged from the island, while also modifying the colors, textures, shapes, and styles
- Explore the Island: Solve the mystery of The ARK as you explore this massive island, discovering Explorer's Notebooks (filled with clues!) throughout
Those details are the publisher’s description of the 2017 launch build, not an independent assessment of how well the features worked or whether they appeared identically on every platform. The announcement is available in Studio Wildcard’s post.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Why the release came in August
On July 19, 2017, Studio Wildcard said platform certification and its goal of releasing across platforms together affected the timing. That provides the studio’s stated context for the date; it does not change the August 29 milestone. Read the July 19 state-of-the-game update.
Quick Recap
Rank #4
- Capture and Tame Dinosaurs: Discover over 100 different dinosaurs and prehistoric creatures on the island, finding ways to tame them into useful additions for your tribe's dino herd
- Survive Above All: Hunger, thirst, basic safety, and protecting yourself from the weather are all part of the game
- Harvest, Hunt and Build: Cut down trees and turn them into a basic home, which you can quickly expand into a Jurassic estate. Hunt for meat, scavenge for plants (or start your own garden!)
- Customize Everything: An extensive crafting system invites you to mix and match materials scavenged from the island, while also modifying the colors, textures, shapes, and styles
- Explore the Island: Solve the mystery of The ARK as you explore this massive island, discovering Explorer's Notebooks (filled with clues!) throughout
Rank #3
- Capture and Tame Dinosaurs: Discover over 100 different dinosaurs and prehistoric creatures on the island, finding ways to tame them into useful additions for your tribe's dino herd
- Survive Above All: Hunger, thirst, basic safety and protecting yourself from the weather are all part of the game. Run too far and not only will you be exhausted, but you will also quickly get hungry and thirsty. Weather effects are based on real-world climates, and so you'll need to hide out from rain and snow, while making the most of sunny days
- Harvest, Hunt and Build: Cut down trees and turn them into a basic home, which you can quickly expand into a Jurassic estate. Hunt for meat, scavenge for plants (or start your own garden!)
- Gather Resources, Customize Everything: An extensive crafting system invites you to mix and match materials scavenged from the island, while also modifying the colors, textures, shapes and style of everything from the walls of your home, to your character's armor, weapons and more
- Explore the Island: Solve the mystery of The ARK as you explore this massive island, discovering Explorer's Notebooks (filled with clues!) throughout. Make your way to the final boss and figure out why you've been dropped into this Jurassic-era experience
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.
